Life On Standby
by BlackRoseOnFire
Summary: Sequel to Better Luck Next Time. I fall to pieces, I can't let go of all the times I never said goodbye, wake up. I need you now more like yesterday, the last day I could see you smile. COMPLETE
1. Dancing For Rain

**Chapter One: Dancing For Rain**

_We're losing daylight but I can't work any faster  
__Under the veil of the dusk we go on  
__Don't close your eyes  
__What if it all disappears in the shadows  
__That reach from the stars?_

"Hey Oliver, it's me again. It's Monday and I just got back from school. Danica's here with me too. She wanted to see you. I'm not sure what to do here, so I guess I'll just tell you about my day at school.

In Reading, Ms. Kwan is making us read Hamlet. It's actually not that bad and I think you'd like it. I'm reading the part of Ophelia, but we all know what happens to her in the end. I do anyway. I won't spoil it for you. JT's reading for Hamlet, but he's not really that good at it. Kwan said she might make us act it out for a grade, but I hope she doesn't.

I had another math test after that. I actually studied for it this time and I think I did pretty well. Mr. Armstrong still bothers me a little about Danica and keeps saying if I need help to just ask. It's getting annoying.

In Media Immersions, we watched the news all day. They aired all the footage they shot from Saturday night. Seeing Tric burned down actually made me happy. It's helping in a way. Dad is still really upset with me though. I think he did it as part of my punishment. Mom just cried and cried when she found out, but I think I already told you that.

I ate lunch alone today. Brooklyn wasn't in school, Manny hates me, and JT and Toby have sided with Manny on this one. I'm surprised I actually went to school at all, but my parents are making me. They said even though what happened to you was terrible, it could have all been prevented. I guess they're right. This is all my fault." I paused, trying to wipe the tears from my face. It didn't work though. The tears kept spilling down my cheeks, and right onto Danica's head. She didn't notice. She was just sitting in my lap and watching.

"Sorry. I try not to break down like this but it's just so hard. I've lost you Oliver. And I don't know what to do. Mom and Dad want me to go to a therapist, but I don't think it will help. The only thing that can help me is to have you back. But I'll just finish telling you everything.

I didn't pay attention at all in Music or Science. Even though Science is my favorite subject, I couldn't think of going through it without you. All I did was stare at your empty desk and cry. Mrs. Hatzilakos let me leave for a few minutes to regain my composure but it didn't really work.

Then in Theater, I broke down again. Since you can't do the play, some grade eleven has taken your place. I dropped out of it too. It's just another thing I can't bare to do without you with me. Manny took my place, and in a way, I'm happy about it. I want her to be happy and I can tell she wanted to be the lead. I don't care about it anymore.

There's not anything else to tell you about school because I skipped my study period, picked Dani up from daycare early, and came here. I'm so sick of everyone saying that they're sorry or for me to come to them for help. First of all, it's not anyone's fault but mine, so no one else can be sorry. And how is anyone going to help me? You're the only one that can help me. I need you Oliver. Danica needs you too. And Maddox, and Brooklyn. There are so many people that need you. Just come back to us.

I've been praying for rain. I know that you love it like I do. I thought that maybe it would help me in some way. Remember the time we left Luna Park and it was pouring? We had both walked to work, and had to walk home. You were afraid I was going to get sick, just because I was pregnant, and I was telling you I'd be fine. We ran through the rain and got soaked. We even stopped halfway to my aunt's house just to make out. I bet you weren't worried about me getting sick then. And when we finally got there, my aunt wouldn't even let us in because we were so wet. She made us take our shoes and socks off outside, then run down to the basement to get changed. It was the first time I'd seen you undressed, with your underwear on of course. I kept staring at you and you were making fun of me.

It hasn't rained yet. When it does, I'm going to run in it. Maybe it'll help. It has to help. I'll dance in the rain until you come back. I love you Oliver."

_If I held my ground would you ask me to change?  
__This drought bleeds on and we're dancing for rain  
__We drink the air but it's still not the same  
__These worlds collide but the distance remains_

**A/N: The song is "Dancing For Rain" by Rise Against. Okay, I made up that the first day of school (which was chapter two of the first story) was on September 3rd. I went through the entire story and worked out that it ended on September 21st. Since that was a Saturday, and this is Monday, the date is September 23rd. With that said…what do you think of the first chapter? I know it's short…sorry about that. Does anyone understand what's going on? The title and summary of the story are from the song Life On Standby by Hawthorne Heights and they own it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of its characters. I do own Oliver, Danica Jade, Brooklyn, and Maddox.**


	2. One Thing

**Chapter Two: One Thing**

_Restless tonight  
Cause I wasted the light  
Between both these times  
I drew a really thin line  
It's nothing I planned  
And not that I can  
But you should be mine  
Across that line_

**Jay**

"Man, Emma is such a drag lately," I said, taking another swig from the bottle I was holding. I didn't know what it was, but it was good. It was the first time I'd hung out with Sean since he came back.

"You can't blame her dude," he replied, grabbing the bottle from me. Yeah, this is what we do. Good old quality time. We were in my new apartment that was pretty empty except for the couch we were sitting on, and my bed in one of the bedrooms. I'm not one for furniture shopping.

"The kid's in a coma, get over it!" I yelled. "Why can't she just move on from him?" I asked. This is how I get when I'm drunk.

"I take it she hasn't seen this side of you," Sean said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh she has. She saw it when she was blowing me. Man, I miss those days. She was a lot more fun then."

"What?" Sean yelled. "What are you talking about?

"Dude, it happened like almost two years ago or something, I don't know. You weren't here, what does it matter to you?" I asked him.

"Jay that's disgusting. How could you do that to her?" he asked, sitting up and staring at me. "She's like a perfect little angel. Why would she do that with you?"

"What's wrong with me? It's not like I'm diseased or something," I said, laughing. "Oh wait…she did get gonorrhea. Maybe I am diseased!"

"You gave her an STD?" Sean yelled.

"Dude chill. Have some more," I said, handing him the bottle. "It's not like I forced her, and I didn't know I had it. Amy probably gave it to me. Nasty little whore. Anyway, Emma loved it. I was her 'release' or something like that. And I have to say, I liked it too. She's really good. You should try it sometime," I finished. I would have gone on in more detail, but Sean jumped up and grabbed the front of my shirt.

"Take it back Jay!" he yelled. I jumped up to face him.

"What's wrong with you man?" I asked him. "You in love with her or something?" That's when he punched me. And I mean punched. Right in the face. It really pissed me off. It hurt a little, but nothing I couldn't take. And for once, I didn't punch him back.

"Don't talk about her like that!" he yelled when I just stared at him.

"What are you gonna do Cameron? Deafen me?" I yelled. He mumbled something under his breath before sitting back down. "What was that? I couldn't HEAR you!" I yelled at him.

"I said sorry. You haven't changed a bit you know that?"

"What's so wrong with that?" I asked him. "If Emma liked me enough to…well, let's skip that part…then why should I change?" He didn't have an answer to that, so I gave him my famous smirk.

"You're not that baby's father, are you?" he asked me.

"A. I'm not sure why that really matters to you, and B. no, I'm not. Although Emma did pretend that I was for a little while. Which brings me back to my: I'm not that bad of a guy theory."

"Well then, who is?" Sean asked, looking confused.

"Craig Manning," I said, laughing a little.

"What? How'd that happen?"

"I have no idea. You'd have to ask her. Now I've got a question for you," I told him.

"And what's that?"

"Why'd you come back?" I asked.

"It's a long story. One I don't feel like sharing right now," he said, grabbing the bottle back from me and taking a long swig. This is what it's like to have a best friend. Well, one named Sean, that is.

**Emma**

I lay in my room, staring up at the ceiling. It was Saturday night. I obviously didn't have to go to work since I didn't have a job. Danica was already in bed, so I couldn't even occupy myself with her. I wish I could go to the hospital, but it's past visiting hours. So I'm stuck here, in this stupid room. I hate it.

I thought back to the moment my parents found out about my alter ego.

**-Flashback-**

"_Mom, it's me. I'm at the hospital with Oliver, something happened. _

"_Emma, I saw something on the news about that club that your father went to. You were there, and I'm not sure why. What happened to him?" she asked. I could tell she was upset so she must have known something. _

"_Can you guys just come down here?" I asked through sobs. "I'll have to explain I guess." _

_Less than ten minutes later, after my parents found out about Oliver, I had to tell them everything. My mom just cried though my entire story. She buried her head in Dad's chest, not even wanting to look at me. _

_The look on my dad's face was horrible. It was full of disgust, pity, and anger. He started yelling, right there in the middle of the hospital. I've never seen him yell like that, besides the time he was sick._

"_What is wrong with you? I can't believe you would do this to your mother Emma. You thought you had to stoop down to this level to get money? I'm disgusted. I saw YOU, my own daughter in a strip club. How could you put us through this? You know that what happened to Oliver could have been prevented if you didn't do any of this. He'd be sitting next to you, helping you take care of your daughter. You put him at risk, and now something's happened. It could have been you that got shot. You could be dead!"_

_All of his words were too much. And to top it all off, he started to cry. Then I cried harder, and the three of us were kicked out of the hospital for causing a scene. My parents sped off in their car, leaving me stranded. Not knowing what to do, I dialed Jay's number to ask him for a ride._

**-End of Flashback-**

I haven't talked to either of my parents since. It had officially been a week and they were ignoring me just as much as I was ignoring them. But I want to end it. So I guess I have to make the first move. But not before I make a phone call.

I dialed the number. I didn't really want to talk to him, but he could help me.

"Hello?"

"Craig, it's me," I said.

"Emma? Um, what's up?" he asked.

"If you want to help Danica, then you'll help me out tomorrow. Meet me at my house around nine, okay? Oh, and bring a pickup truck from Joey's lot," I finished.

"Um, I guess I could do that. Mind if I ask why?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. Bye Craig," I said, hanging up the phone. Now I had to go make peace with my parents. And it was not gonna be pretty.

_If I traded it all  
If I gave it all away for one thing  
Just for one thing  
If I sorted it out  
If I knew all about this one thing  
Wouldn't that be something_

**A/N: The song is "One Thing" by Finger Eleven and they own it...it goes with what Jay is feeling and what Emma's feeling too. Sorry's it's taken me so long to update...I'm house sitting and I don't have my computer with me! Anyway, this is the first time I've done Jay's POV in this story…hope you liked it. I'm going to be adding more people's POVs now…but it will still mainly go back to Emma's…at least, that's how I plan to write it. We'll see. So it was a little short, but I wanted to leave you with something to think about. You now know what's going on with Oliver...if you caught what Jay said. Review and let me know why you think Sean came back, and what you think Emma's gonna do with Craig tomorrow? Just to keep you (and myself) on track, the date for this chapter is Saturday, September 28th. I will put some more about school in the story…but it's not all that important right now. The weekends are where Emma will mostly get to talk to people, try to make up with them, and more problems will arise. Next chapter probably won't be up until Saturday or Sunday...And to reply to some of your reviews...**

**kisstherain205: no, this Oliver isn't based on Oliver James the actor. The only reason I picked James for the last name is because it was the only last name I could come up with that sounded good lol. This Oliver looks a lot different. Thanks for your review!**

**xXxXxXxXJemmaFanxXxXxXxX:I'm glad I got you hooked on the music...I love all the songs I used.**

**TemporaryxInsanity: No, he's not dead! lol...and that doesn't leave Emma and Jay to hook up, sorry. But interesting things will happen, I'll tell you that much!**

**Libby: You're one of the few people who actually guessed that he was in a coma, not dead! I'm glad you're a religious reader...I never thought I'd have this many people liking my stories...**

**To all my other loyal reviewers: Sorry but I can't write to everyone...you know who you all are though. I'm glad I've gotten so many reviews. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to! **


	3. Count On Me

**Chapter Three: Count On Me**

_I know that life ain't always good to you.  
I've seen exactly what it's put you through  
Thrown you around and turned you upside down and so you  
You got to thinking there was no way out  
You started sinking and it pulled you down  
It may be tough you've to get back up  
Because you know that life ain't over yet  
I'm here for you so don't forget  
You can count on me  
Cause' I will carry you till you  
Carry on_

"I agree," my dad said.

"You do?" I asked him. I was surprised, I thought they would yell and scream.

"Emma, you are eighteen now, and we can't stop you from doing what you want. But we won't be able to pay for anything," my mom said.

"I know," I said. "I'll manage."

"We'll still help with Danica. We can watch her on the weekends if you have to work. If you have a _proper_ job. When are you going to start looking?" Dad asked me.

"I guess I'll ask Craig if he wants to help," I said.

"Craig? Why him?" Mom asked.

"Oh…I haven't told you guys. I guess since everyone else knows, you might as well too. He's Dani's father," I confessed. They both stared at me, silent.

"Does…Joey know?" my dad asked.

"I don't know. I don't think so. But don't tell him okay? I guess Craig and I have to figure this out on our own," I told them.

"We understand and we won't say anything. But you better be ready to tell him soon. I'm sure he'll find out," Dad said.

"Are you two going to get together?" Mom asked.

"No Mom, we're not. I'm in love with Oliver. I'm not in love with Craig. What we did was a mistake. We were caught up in the moment, and besides, he's in love with Manny. I have to make things right with her. She broke up with him and now he's devastated," I explained.

"Just let us know if you need any help," my mom said. She started to cry.

"Mom, don't cry. I'll still see you all the time," I protested. Just then, a car horn beeped outside.

"That's him," I said, standing up and heading for the door. I went outside and walked over to the blue pickup truck with Craig sitting in it.

"So what's this all about?" he asked. He looked a little annoyed, but eager at the same time. My guess was that he wanted to help Danica, but not me.

"I'm moving," I announced. "And I need your help."

"What? Where are you moving to? How am I going to see my daughter?" he asked frantically.

"Craig, chill out. It's not that far away. I'm moving into Oliver's apartment. I'm going to get everything ready for him for when he comes home," I told him.

"Oh. Okay then, let's get started. I can't take all day with this, I'm going to Manny's tonight to try and talk to her," he said.

"Don't worry; it won't take that long," I said, glaring in his direction.

"Is Danica coming with us?" he asked hopefully.

"No, my parents are going to watch her. We have a lot to do in a short amount of time, and she won't want to sit in the playpen while we move," I explained. His face fell and he got all upset.

"Oh," he said, looking at the ground.

"I can always ask my dad to help me if you want to spend some time with Dani. We'd have to take the truck though," I offered.

"Nah, that's okay. Joey wouldn't be too happy. And I did promise that I'd help. Sorry that I'm being a jerk. I know you're going through a lot."

"Thanks Craig." I smiled at him. "I guess we better get started though huh?" I asked him. "Don't worry; I don't really have that much stuff to bring." Craig followed me into the house, said hi to my parents, and held Danica for a minute. Then we headed down into my room. I took one more look around at everything, sighed, and shoved my hands in my pockets.

"So, what's going?" Craig asked, looking at the boxes on the floor.

"Well, my clothes are all in those boxes, along with Danica's toys and clothes. Um, my vanity is going, the changing table, and her crib. Dad helped me take those apart last night. The bed is staying, so is the dresser. And the microwave and mini fridge can stay too. I guess that covers it.

"That seems easy enough," he replied. I helped him pile three boxes up and watched him carry them up the stairs. Then I grabbed two and followed him. When we came back down, there were four more boxes to bring up, then the parts to the crib and changing table. Finally, I ran back down and grabbed my bag with makeup, shampoo, hair brushes, toothbrushes, and everything else I needed to get ready in the morning. Craig ran back down for my pillow and a few of my favorite blankets. I went back down and sat on my bed for the last time. My parents came and looked sadly around the room.

"Don't worry; I'll see you every day. I just won't be sleeping here," I said, hugging both of them. My mom was crying and my dad was trying not to. Danica smiled at me. I kissed her on the cheek.

"The house will feel so empty without you," Dad said, hugging me again.

"Emma. You don't have to leave do you?" my mom cried.

"Mom, don't worry. And you guys still have Jack!" Upon hearing his name, Jack came running down the stairs from the kitchen.

"Where are you going Emma?" he asked.

"I'm moving Jack. But don't worry. You can get Mom and Dad to bring you to visit me," I told him, giving him a hug. I kissed him on the cheek and stood up. "Bye guys," I said. "I'll come back for my car and Danica as soon as we've got everything fixed. Then we'll probably go to the hospital." I followed my family upstairs, closing the door behind me for the last time.

Mom, Dad, and Jack stood in the doorway, waving while I got into the truck. I waved to them and turned around, ready to get to the apartment. It only took a few minutes to get there. I saw Oliver's car, sitting in its space. I forced myself not to cry. Craig and I both got a few boxes and went upstairs to the apartment. I unlocked the door and we walked into the living room. The place was spotless. Of course it was; no one was living there. Well, for the time being. I set the boxes down in the living room and we went down for more.

It only took us about ten minutes to get everything up to the apartment. I plopped down on the couch, taking a little break. Craig sat down next to me and looked around.

"It's a nice place," he commented.

"Thanks. But it's not the same without him," I sighed, feeling the tears start to come.

"Emma, it's going to be okay. He'll be fine," Craig told me.

"You don't know that for sure!" I cried. Of course I wanted Oliver to be fine, but I knew that it might not happen. I didn't want to get my hopes up. It had been eight days, and there was no sign of anything happening. "I don't know what I'd ever do if I lost him. I really love him Craig," I said, tears beginning to soak my shirt. Craig put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him.

"Try not to think about it for now," he said. "Whatever you need, I'm here for you. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love, and if that happens, I'll be there too. You can count on me Emma," he said. I had almost forgotten that Craig lost both of his parents.

"Thanks Craig," I told him. I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I had forgotten what it felt like to have a genuine friend.

_Anytime you need someone  
Somebody strong to lean on  
Well you can count on me  
To hold you till the healing is done  
And every time you fall apart  
Well you can hide here in my arms  
And you can count on me  
To hold you till that feeling is gone_

**Craig**

Emma fell asleep, so I figured I would move the stuff around. She needed a break anyway. I never though until now how hard all of this has been for her. I was shocked when I found out about my daughter, but I didn't have to have the baby. I didn't move away because I was afraid to lose my friends. Emma had to have Danica so far away from her friends and family.

She did find Oliver, and I'm happy for her. I hope he is okay. I don't know what she would do if he didn't pull through. I looked back at her, sleeping sitting up. She really was beautiful. I could see why I had sex with her in the first place. But it was wrong. I was upset over Ashley and it made me mad to see her hurting over Jay. We made a mistake, but I know that this much is true: it was the best mistake I ever made. I got the most beautiful daughter in the world. Now I just need to spend more time with her.

Don't get me wrong, I am still completely in love with Manny. Hopefully I can get her to forgive me. I didn't know about Danica until after Manny found out. And she and I weren't together when it happened. I know it has to be hard for her too though. I have a baby with her best friend, and she never got to have her baby that we had together. I still mourn for the loss of my first child. I never got to find out if it was a boy or a girl.

I walked back over to Emma and lay her down, putting one of the couch pillows under her head. Then I got one of her blankets and covered her with it. I wiped a few stray tears off of her face before getting to work.

It took me three hours, but I did it. I looked at my work and smiled. It felt good to do something for my daughter and her mother. I put the crib together, then the changing table. After that, I put all of her clothes in the dresser and her dresses in the closet. Then I arranged the toys and books on the shelves and in the little toy box that I guess Oliver bought. I imagined Danica sleeping in her crib. Then I imagined me and Emma putting her to bed. Shaking my head, I got that out of my system. Emma and I were never going to be together. I just wanted to have a happy little family. Hopefully I can still have that with Manny.

I heard a noise and looked up. Emma was standing in the doorway, smiling.

"It looks great," she said. She walked over to me and hugged me. "Do you want to go get her now?" she asked me. I nodded my head. "Thanks Craig," she said.

"You're welcome. Don't forget, I'll be here for you," I told her and smiled.

"I won't."

_Because you know that life ain't over yet  
I'm here for you so don't forget  
You can count on me  
Cause' I will carry you till you carry on  
Anytime you need someone  
Somebody strong to lean on  
Well you can count on me to hold you till the healing is done  
And every time you fall apart you can hide here in my arms  
And you can count on me to hold you till that feeling is  
Gone so you can live today  
Seems so long to yesterday  
Keep on counting on me to carry you till you carry on  
Carry on_

**A/N: The song is "Count On Me" by Default and they own it. This was Sunday, September 29th. Just warning you guys: don't be thinking that Craig is going to fall in love with Emma, or vice versa, because it's not going to happen! Sorry…I just wanted them to not be like hating on each other anymore. Sadly, I have no more chapters written, so I won't be able to update whenever I want. And I have a lot of not so good things going on right now, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next. So bear with me if I take a long time. **

**Qtpye: No need to feel weird lol. A lot of people thought he was dead. I obviously can't tell you why Sean is back…it'll be revealed later, though I don't know when. **

**xXxXxXxXJemmaFanxXxXxXxX: You were right, Emma was moving out! And I'm glad you like Oliver now. I really like him a lot…he's like what I'd want my boyfriend to be like. **

**Suzzy20: Thanks for the long review, I like them better. As you know now, Emma moved into Oliver's apartment. **

**kisstherain205: Yes, you type the stories on Microsoft Word, and then you sign into the website, go under documents, and upload the chapters from there. You have to create the story under 'stories,' selecting categories and a title for it. Let me know if you need any help. **

**Thanks everyone for your reviews. They keep me going! **


	4. I'm Still Waiting

**Chapter Four: I'm Still Waiting **

_On clearer days I can see the lights from my bedroom door,  
On windy nights I can smell the lake as it drifts to me from the shore  
The traffic lights silently change a thousand times a day  
But I'm still waiting, yeah I'm still waiting_

**Emma**

"I think we should go break the news to Joey," Craig said. We had just picked Danica up in my car.

"Now?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

"It's as good a time as any."

"I guess so," I sighed. Turning the car around, I drove towards Craig's house. We drove the rest of the way in silence. I parked on the street, turned the car off, and sat. I couldn't get out of the car.

"It'll be okay; he'll understand," Craig told me, rubbing my back. I took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Well, here goes nothing," I said. I got out and took Danica out of her car seat, holding her close to me. Then I followed Craig inside the house, praying that for some reason, Joey wouldn't be home.

**Craig**

As soon as I saw Joey sitting in the living room with Angela, I started freaking out. Maybe this wasn't the best time. He looked so happy and I knew he was going to be mad. I told Emma that he'd understand, but I wasn't really so sure.

"Uh…Joey," I said. He looked up and smiled.

"Hey Craig, what's up?" he asked. Emma was hiding somewhat behind me. Joey could see her, but not the baby. "Hi Emma, it's so nice to see you," he said. She nodded her head, but didn't say a word.

"Joey, we need to talk to you, in private." I gave him the most serious look I could muster up and swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Hey Angie, why don't you go upstairs and play?" Joey asked her.

"Can Emma come play too?" she asked, looking over at her. Emma cleared her throat before answering.

"Maybe later Angie. I need to talk to your dad."

"Okay, but don't forget!" Angela said before running up the stairs.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Joey asked. "It looks serious."

"It is…" I trailed off. I started walking towards him and Emma followed. I moved slightly to the right, and then he saw her.

"Whose baby is that?" he asked Emma. I sat down on the couch and Emma sat next to me.

"She's…she's my daughter," she told him. Joey was shocked. I guess he didn't know what to say, but then he thought of something.

"I…I didn't know. How old is she?" he asked.

"She's five months," Emma told him.

"Who is her father? Is it that boyfriend, um, Oliver? The one that was on the news with you," he asked. Emma was having a hard time, so I stepped in.

"Joey…she's…she's our daughter," I explained.

"WHAT?" he yelled. Instantly, Danica started to cry, and so did Emma.

"This was a mistake," she said, standing up.

"Sit down Emma!" Joey yelled. Emma sat.

"Don't yell at her Joey!" I yelled at him.

"How did this happen to me?" Joey buried his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I would have told you much sooner, but I just found out myself," I said.

"How could you keep something like that from him?" Joey stood up.

"I…" But Emma couldn't finish the sentence. She just sat there, tears streaming down her cheeks, cradling our daughter.

"She was scared Joey. And I don't blame her for it," I told him. "Please sit down and just talk to us."

"When did this happen?" he asked, sitting down. He was at least calm for the time being.

"Last summer," Emma spoke up. "Ashley had just left for London, and I…it was a mistake Joey. Please don't hate me for it," she cried.

"Emma, I don't hate you. I understand that people make mistakes." He sighed, and turned to me. "What are you two going to do now?" he asked. "You're getting married, right?" Both of us were shocked this time.

"No Joey, we're not." I figured I'd break it to him. I didn't want him yelling at Emma again.

"Why not?" he asked, starting to raise his voice a little. "This is your daughter that you're talking about."

"Please don't get mad again," I said. "We're not getting married because it wouldn't be right. We're not in love Joey," I tried to explain.

"Oh, so you're going to leave your daughter because you're in love with Manny? I know you have this crazy idea in your head that the two of you are getting married, but that is not going to work now. You have other priorities Craig," he lectured me.

"I'm in love with Oliver, not Craig," Emma spoke up.

"Emma, you have to do what's best for your baby. And having her father in her life is best for her," Joey told her.

"She has a father. Oliver has been there since before she was born. He is the father that she knows. Craig's going to be there too. We're just not getting married," she said.

"Craig, if you're not marrying Emma, then you're not marrying Manny. I won't let you make another mistake," he told me.

"Joey, you can't tell me who to marry! Manny is the love of my life," I said. Great, now my eyes were getting all teary.

"Manny is not the mother of your child!" Joey yelled at me.

"She was at one time!" It just slipped out. I can't believe I said it. Even though it's been almost four years, I haven't forgotten about my first baby. The one I wanted just as much as I want Danica.

"What are you talking about?" Then I lost it. I don't know why it happened.

"I would have a four year old son or daughter right now if she hadn't gotten the abortion! Would you have told me to marry her then, when I was fifteen?" I yelled. "Manny is the mother of my first child, even though that baby died. She is my first and only true love, and you can't take that away from me!"

Joey looked mad. For a minute, I thought he was going to hit me like my dad used to. He got really close to me and had tears in his eyes. But the thing he said next wasn't to me.

"Emma, can you excuse us?" he asked her, in a really calm voice. Without a word, Emma stood up and walked out of the house. I turned to face Joey, full of fear.

**Emma**

I sat down on the steps outside the door. I couldn't leave him now. It's all my fault that this is happening. Now Joey knows about Manny, and I've probably gotten Craig into all kinds of trouble.

"Emma? What's wrong?" I looked up to see Brooklyn standing there, holding Maddox by the hand.

"Oh, hi," I said, wiping my face off. "Craig and I just told his step dad about Danica," I told her.

"How'd he take it?"

"He wants us to get married. And now he's found out about Manny's abortion. He asked to talk to Craig alone," I explained.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it. What are you up to?" I asked her. She looked happy. I'm glad that she was able to work things out with Oliver before he got shot.

"Nothing really. Mad and I just got back from the park."

"When Craig comes out, I have to bring him back to my house to get his truck, and then I'm going to go see Oliver. Do you guys want to come?" I asked her.

"Sure. I'll go get Maddox's car seat," she said, turning to go into her house. She didn't come back for ten more minutes, and Craig still wasn't out. I was holding Maddox on my lap along with Danica while Brooklyn put his car seat into my car. Then I heard the door behind me opening and Craig stepped out. It looked like he had been crying.

"You okay?" I asked him. I stood up and handed Danica to him, still holding Maddox.

"Yeah. Joey was pretty understanding. He just told me all this stuff about how I can go to him for anything, and we had like a father/son kinda bonding moment. Well, stepfather/son really. I have to go talk to Manny now though. I've put it off for too long," he explained.

"Okay. I'll drop you off at my house to get the truck. Brooklyn and I are going to the hospital." I put Dani in her car seat. Brooklyn got climbed into the backseat, wedging herself between Danica and Maddox's car seats.

When we got back to my house, I got out and hugged Craig.

"Thanks for everything today," I told him. "Let me know how it goes with Manny."

"Thanks to you too Em. I'm sorry you had to see Joey flip out like that. And let me know how Oliver is doing."

Brooklyn got out of the backseat and got in the front. I watched Craig get in his truck and drive away before I got back into my own car and made my way to the hospital.

_If my hand could block the sun,  
Would we ever wake up?  
If I turned back all these clocks  
Would that be time enough?_

**A/N: Okay, I don't know if on the show Joey knew about Manny's pregnancy and abortion…but for this story, I'm going to say that he didn't. So now he does…but anyway, the date is still September 29th. I'm gonna say that around now it's like 2 in the afternoon. The song is "Torches" by Rise Against and they own it. Hope you liked this chapter. For some reason, fanfiction wasn't sending me my reviews through my email, but it's working now.**

**TemporaryxInsanity: At the end of chapter 3, Craig says "Don't forget, I'll be here for you." And Emma says "I won't" meaning she won't forget. **

**sexybaby: What won't send you an email? I'll help if I can! **

**Knocky7: I'm glad you like it. When you're writing an actual review, you can click the box that says Add Story to my Story Alert List, it will email you every time I submit a new chapter. That way, you don't have to look everyday. **

**Libby: Thanks for your review, it was nice. And I'm updating now, only because I've written the next two chapters already. I got a whole bunch of ideas yesterday for things that will happen in the future. **


	5. Dance, Dance

**Chapter Five: Dance, Dance**

_I'm two quarters and a heart down  
__And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds  
__These words are all I have so I'll write them  
__So you need them just to get by_

**Emma**

"Hey Oliver, I'm back again. Dani's here with me too. Guess who else came? Brooklyn and Maddox."

"Daddy!" Maddox yelled. I placed him on the bed, and he crawled right up to Oliver's face and kissed him on the cheek. "Love Daddy," he said. Then he lay down next to him and put an arm around him.

Brooklyn was still standing by the doorway. She was staring at Oliver, tears filling her eyes. It was the same thing I did the first time I came. It's scary to see him with tubes coming out of him. It's scary talking to him when it's almost like he's not really there. I've heard that when someone is in a coma they can still hear you talk. Sometimes it helps them wake up.

"It's okay," I told her. She walked closer and finally sat down in the chair on the other side of his bed, across from Danica and I. "I'm gonna go change her diaper okay?" Brooklyn nodded at me but lowered her head. I stood up to go, but before I left, I turned back. "Just talk to him. It helps." Then I left.

**Brooklyn**

I tried to remind myself why I'm here. I ran Emma's words over and over in my mind. _Just talk to him._ _It helps._ How would it help? Even if Oliver could actually hear me, does he care what I have to say? I probably won't even finish thinking of what to say before Emma comes back. I don't want to talk in front of her. What to say…

I looked back at the door and seriously considered leaving. But then I looked at my son and saw how content he was. He had actually fallen asleep there, with his arm draped around his father. Well, not his biological father, but I guess Oliver is all he has. He's all I have too. I'm not in love with him, but I still need him.

Being only one and a half, Maddox is able to look past all the tubes sticking out of his dad. He probably thinks nothing of them. He sees his dad; that's it. Maybe that's what I should see. I can try and pretend that he's awake and I'm just talking. I guess I'll have to.

"Hi Oliver, it's me, Brooklyn. How are you doing?" That was incredibly stupid. I almost expected him to pop up out of bed and yell 'How do you think I'm doing?' But of course he didn't. "I feel so horrible for what I've done to you. I know I've already apologized, but it seems like I should again. I just didn't know what to do." I held back tears.

Then I decided that I should hold his hand. If he could hear me, then maybe he could feel me too. I messed up his hair a little, something I used to always do, then fixed it again. After that, I stroked Mad's cheek and almost woke him up.

"Oliver, you have to get better for Maddox. He loves you so much and I don't know what he'd do without you.

I love you too. I love you for what you've done for me. You are my best friend and I can't lose you either. Emma needs you more than anyone though. Her and Danica. I feel sorry for her because Jay's in love with her, but the only person she wants is you. You can't let her down. You'd be happy though that she's letting Craig be a small part of her life. They told his step dad about Dani today, but I guess I should let her tell you about that kind of stuff."

I felt like someone was watching me. Wiping tears from my cheeks, I turned around, and sure enough, Emma was standing in the doorway, holding Danica.

"Feel better?" she asked me. Instead of answering, I stood up quickly. I bent down and carefully picked Maddox up.

"I'll meet you in the car," I told her. I had to get out of the hospital.

**Emma**

I let Danica play with Oliver's hand for a minute, but when she realized that he wasn't going to play back, she gave up.

"Today was really Brooklyn's day to talk. I wanted her to have a chance. I'll come back and see you tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you," I told him. I kissed him on the lips and picked Dani up. As I was walking to the door, his parents entered. Giving them a sympathetic smile, I left the room so they could be with their son.

Brooklyn was sitting in the car with her head leaning against the window. She was staring off into space, and I decided not to bother her. After buckling Danica in, I drove her back to her house, where she took Maddox and his car seat out.

"Thanks," she whispered before going into her house.

* * *

When I got back into the apartment, it was three thirty. We had only been gone for an hour and a half. I saw that the light on the answering machine was blinking. Setting Danica down in her playpen, I pushed the play button. 

"Hey Emma, it's me, Joey. Listen, I was really hoping to talk to you about some stuff. Particularly what Craig and I have been talking about. I'd like to have you over for dinner tonight if you have time. Call me back. Thanks, bye."

I called him back and explained that I couldn't come for dinner because I had homework to do. I also didn't feel like going out again, and had to feed Danica and put her to bed. So Joey decided to come over here instead, and he said he'd be here around four. I gave him the address and hung up.

First, I dragged all my boxes into the bedroom. I put my clothes away and then I set my vanity up in an empty corner with my makeup on it. Then I started heating a bottle up for Dani when the doorbell rang. Completely forgetting about the bottle, I answered the door.

"Hi Emma," Joey said as I let him in.

"Hi." I motioned for him to sit on the couch, then sat down in Oliver's chair.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for yelling at you today. I just didn't expect any of this," he said.

"I understand." It was all I could think of to say.

"I…um…saw you on the news that night Tric burnt down. And after talking to Craig…I realized that…" he looked really nervous and I knew what he was going to say. "Emma, you're Sky aren't you?" he asked. When I nodded my head, he got all upset. He looked disappointed. Almost as much as my parents had been. I guess it was because he's known me for so long and he's like family to me. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to cry.

"I'm sorry," I said between sobs. "I tried to leave, but he wouldn't let me."

"Emma, honey, don't be sorry. I'm the one that should be sorry. All I know is that I'm never going to a strip club again. I can't imagine how your parents felt when they found out; especially your dad. If Angela ever did that…" he trailed off when he realized that he was making me more upset. "I want to help you," he said suddenly.

"How?" I asked, trying to wipe some of my tears away.

"I want to give you a job at the dealership. I can't promise as much money as you were making before…but I think it would be a start."

"Joey, I have no clue how to sell cars," I told him.

"No, you wouldn't have to sell cars. Your job would be helping customers with paperwork, washing cars, getting them ready, and probably cleaning up the office from time to time," he explained.

"Isn't that Craig's job?" I asked, curious.

"No. I told Craig that if he went to school full time then he didn't have to work for me. He's planning on getting another job anyway for pocket money. But I pay for his school," he said.

"I didn't know Craig went to University."

"Yeah, he just lives at home because it's cheaper. But anyway, will you consider taking the job? The most I can afford to pay you is nine dollars an hour," he said.

"I'll take it," I told him, smiling. "I need the money. Oliver's parents pay for the apartment, but we have to pay for food, and I have all kinds of expenses for Danica. And with Oliver in the hospital, he's not working," I explained.

"Oh and when Craig gets his new job, he'll be paying you money too. I told him that he'd have to give you at least fifty dollars a week, if that's enough," Joey added.

"That would be great, thanks." Danica started crying then, and I remembered her bottle.

"You take care of that, I'll just see myself out. You can start tomorrow, and work whatever hours are easiest for you. See you tomorrow!" he called on his way out the door. I hurried to the kitchen, heated Dani's bottle again, and then fed her.

"You want a bath honey?" I asked her. I went to her room and looked everywhere for her little baby bath that sits in the tub. Great, I probably left it at home. Okay, I'll just climb in my window, get it, and leave. I don't need to visit with my parents. I want to prove I can last more than one day without them.

It was five thirty and getting dark, so I put Dani's jacket on her. I put her in the car and drove over to my house. I parked around the block, took Danica's car seat out, with her in it, and walked to my house, over to the window. Propping it open, I climbed in, then turned around and grabbed her car seat.

I turned around, car seat in hand, and slammed straight into someone. I almost screamed, but didn't want to give myself away. It was dark in the room, but then the person walked away and flicked the light on. It was Sean.

"What are you doing in my room?" I asked him. That's when I saw the bags on the floor by the bed.

"This isn't your room anymore," he smirked.

"You live here? I haven't even been gone a full day and my parents gave my room away?" I asked.

"Emma, I didn't have anywhere to go. Besides, it's not like you planned on moving back in, did you?"

"No, of course not. Anyway, I just have to get her bath and then I'll be out of your way." This was really weird. I walked over to my closet…well, Sean's closet now, and pulled the bath out of the closet. Then I saw a few more of Dani's toys, and her blanket, and piled them in. "Okay, I'm all set. I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Here, let me help you. I'm guessing you parked around the block if you came in through the window," he said.

"Um, okay." I climbed out the window; Sean handed me Dani in her car seat, then pushed the bath through, and climbed out. I picked Danica up and Sean grabbed the other stuff. We silently walked back to my car. I buckled the car seat back in, and stuck the bath onto the seat next to her. I walked over to the car door that Sean opened for me. Instead of getting in right away, I leaned back against the car and just looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Why did you come back here?" I asked. But he didn't answer me. I saw him coming closer to me and didn't move. He kissed me softly on the lips. For a moment, I was brought back into that familiar feeling. Then I pulled away and stared at him.

"Did that answer your question?"

_Dance, Dance  
__We're falling apart to half time  
__Dance, Dance  
__And these are the lives you'd love to lead  
__Dance  
__This is the way they'd love if they knew how misery loved me_

**A/N: That seemed like a good place to stop! The song is "Dance, Dance" by Fall Out Boy and they own it. I love that song. Anyway, R&R. **

**Qtpye: Thanks for your review...it cheered me up. **

**LyG4ever: Thanks...I'm glad you like the songs. I didn't think anyone else thought about Paige and Sean. **

**Thanks everyone else for the reviews! I've now got chapter seven written and that's why I'm updating so soon.**


	6. I Don't Feel You Anymore

**Chapter Six: I Don't Feel You Anymore**

_Chase me through the dark  
Ready on your mark  
First to reach the stars  
Wins a broken heart  
One that broke apart  
Shattered from the start_

**Emma**

I woke up the next morning trying to keep the kiss out of my mind. But it wasn't working. I don't have anymore feelings for Sean, but when your first love does stuff like that, it really screws with your mind.

It took me a long time to fall asleep last night. Oliver's bed was not the same as before because he wasn't in it. I cried for most of the night, and woke up with a headache. After showering and getting dressed, I got Danica up. I gave her a bath since she fell asleep on the way home last night, and dressed her. Then I heated up some of the oatmeal that she likes, fed it to her, and stuffed four bottles into her baby bag for day care.

I was already running late when I grabbed everything and ran out of the house. Of course I hadn't had time to put any makeup on except eyeliner and lip gloss. And my hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Rushing around, I locked the door to the apartment and dropped my keys on the floor. While struggling to figure out how to pick them up without dropping anything, especially my daughter, someone walked up and grabbed them.

"Here you go," he said. I looked up at his face and guess who it was. Yeah. Jay.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing the keys from him. "What are you doing here?" I eyed him suspiciously. As far as I knew, he didn't know where Oliver lived. Unless he followed me here, which is just creepy.

"I live here. Well, I live in apartment eight. This is where my mom picked. Kinda weird huh?" he asked. "I didn't know you lived here…"

"I just moved in yesterday. Wow um…this is kinda weird." Why did I say that out loud? He probably thought that I was weird. "I'm running late, I gotta go," I announced, and walked towards the stairs.

"If it's easier for you, I can always watch her," Jay suggested as he followed me.

"We already talked about this Jay," I said, still heading to my car.

"I just don't think that it makes much sense for her to go to day care, especially since we live in the same building now. And I can watch her for free," he offered.

"It's fine okay? I have a new job and I can manage," I said. Then he grabbed me on the shoulder and spun me around.

"So I save your life and this is what you do to me? You shut me out and try to ignore me?" And he was right. I never though I'd find myself feeling sorry for Jay.

"Jay, I'm sorry, but I can't just pull Danica out of her day care. Rachel loves taking care of her, and she lets me pay less already. It would really help if you could watch Dani tonight when I go to work though. But only until I get things settled with her father. He needs to be spending time with her too," I explained.

"That's great, thanks," he said. "I'll be there."

I was finally able to get Dani in the car and drive her to daycare. I handed Rachel all of her things and hurried off to school. I actually had two minutes until homeroom, which surprised me. Then I realized that my watch had the wrong time on it and I was freaking out for nothing. I walked over to my locker, which, conveniently, was right across the hall from Sean's. And what I saw sure surprised me.

Sean was standing there, with Brooklyn. They were standing pretty close to each other, and he had his hand on her arm. I guess they were flirting, which I found odd, since he kissed me last night. But I don't care. Maybe they'll get together and he'll be off my back. But I still have to talk to him.

"Sean, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked him as I walked up.

"Sure. I'll see you later," he said to Brooklyn. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled at me and walked off to class.

"What was that all about?" I asked him.

"What? I kissed her on the cheek, what's wrong with that?"

"You kissed me last night. And it wasn't on the cheek. Look Sean, you're a great guy, and my first love, but I've moved on. I don't know why you even still like me. When you left here, you were with Ellie. But anyway, I can't do this with you," I told him.

"Emma, last night was a mistake. Yes, I'm still in love with you, and I think I always have been. But I know now that I shouldn't have kissed you. You're with Oliver, I get that. And I also heard about you and Jay. Everything's just been so crazy, and I felt like I needed to at least kiss you one last time. I'm going to try and move on, but it won't be easy. I came back because I needed you in my life one way or the other," he said. The bell rang, interrupting our conversation.

"I gotta get to class. Maybe I'll see you later okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he said before walking away.

I hurried to homeroom and pushed all thoughts of Sean out of my head. Glad that's settled.

* * *

"Hey Joey, it's me," I said into the phone. It was lunch time and I needed to clear some things up before my first day of work. "Yeah, I was wondering what time you wanted me to come tonight." 

"What time is best for you?" he asked.

"Well, when school's over, I was going to pick Danica up, bring her home for a bit, go visit Oliver, and then come into work. So I guess that would be around six tonight…"

"That's fine Emma. See you at six!"

"Okay, see you then," I said, hanging up the phone.

I left the bathroom and walked towards the cafeteria. When I got there, I saw Brooklyn and Sean sitting at a table together. I decided not to bother them. I noticed Manny sitting alone, but I wasn't going to bother her. I was just about to sit with Toby and JT when I heard her calling me.

"Emma!" I looked in Manny's direction and she was waving me over. Great. Well, here goes nothing.

"Hi Manny," I said, sitting down.

"Does our friendship mean anything to you Em?" she asked suddenly.

"Of course it does! I just thought I should give you some space. You ran off at my party and haven't talked to me since."

"Good. I just want to tell you that I understand what happened. I just needed some time to think about everything. I don't want us to hate each other," she said.

"I don't hate you Manny. I never have. I just have a lot to deal with right now too," I told her.

"How's Oliver?" she asked.

"The same."

"I'm sorry Emma."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said.

"Yes I do. I'm sorry that I gave up on you when you needed me. I want you to know that I'll always be there for you." Wow, everyone's saying that lately.

"Thanks Manny, I know. Hey, did you talk to Craig?" I asked.

"Yeah, but that's our business. Well, I'm sure he'll tell you anyway," she said. "Don't ask."

"Okay." We hugged briefly and then the bell rang.

* * *

"Um…you should be able to find everything okay…" I said to Jay. Even though I knew he was great with Dani, I was still worried. 

"Yes, have a good time at work," he said, ushering me out the door.

"Goodbye sweetheart. Mommy loves you very much," I told my daughter. I kissed her on the forehead and was just about to leave when the doorbell rang. Running over to get it, I pulled it open and there stood Craig.

"Craig? What are you doing here? I was just about to go to work." Then I noticed that he had a couple of bags with him.

"It's Manny. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me. Not yet anyway. She said that I should spend time with Danica and you and…Emma, I can't go back home. I don't need Joey asking about all of this crap. Can I stay here for a few days?"

Like I really need Craig living in my boyfriend's apartment with me. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Then he gave me that look he gives everyone.

"Fine, but only for a few days. Um, Jay is watching Dani though so you don't need to stay," I told him. Jay smirked at Craig, who plopped down on the couch.

"He can go. I got it covered." I looked over at Jay and he was starting to get mad.

"No, he's staying. Maybe he can teach you a few things…" I shot a pleading look at Jay and he reluctantly nodded his head.

"Yeah, maybe…" Craig trailed off, staring into space.

"Be good you two. I'll ask Danica to give me a full report," I joked and headed out. When I got to my car, I sat for a minute. How am I going to do this?

_Are you there?  
Do you read me?  
Are you there?  
I don't feel you anymore_

**A/N: The date is Monday, September 30…the last day of September. Who's surprised now? So yeah, Craig's moving in for a bit…should be interesting. The song is "Over and Out" by the Foo Fighters. It has to do with how Oliver just isn't there at all and she needs his help to deal with all this crap…like all the guys that are around now and everything. Anyway, I hope you liked it. **

**TemporaryxInsanity: Wow, that was quite an enthusiastic review!Don't worry...they're not together.There will be more surprises, trust me. **

**JemmaFan: Don't worry about the late reviewing! You don't have to apologize. The fact that you're reviewing at all is great...do it on your own time when you get a chance.**

**WishinWell43: Yes, I've heard the Veronicas on The-N...I've only heard that one song though. Danica is still five months old...the same age that she was at the beginning of the story...she'll be six months on October 22, since her bday is April 22. Emma does know that Craig is the father for a fact...he was the only person she's ever had sex with. And I can't tell you if Oliver will wake up or not! You'll find out. **


	7. Straitjacket Feeling

**Chapter Seven: Straitjacket Feeling **

_Back me down from backing up  
Hold your breath now it's stacking up  
Etched with marks, but I can deal  
And you're the problem and you can't feel  
Try this on, straitjacket feeling  
So maybe I won't be alone  
Take back now, my life you're stealing_

**Emma**

"How'd your night go?" I asked the guys when I got back from my first night at my new job.

"Great, until this idiot tried to feed Danica cheerios. She doesn't even have any teeth!" Jay complained.

"Hey, at least I'm trying. You were supposed to be teaching me!" Craig yelled.

"Guys, I really don't want to hear all of this crap. I'm tired," I complained. "You don't need to fight. Thanks for helping out Jay, I'll see you later," I said, pushing him out the door.

"Glad he's gone," Craig sighed when I closed the door.

"You really should be nicer. He loves her you know," I glared at him. I don't know why I was getting defensive about Jay. I just don't need them hating each other for no reason.

"Whatever. Dani's asleep and I think I'm just gonna go to bed too. I have to find a job tomorrow," he said. "I don't have class until 2."

"Do you want me to make up the couch for you?" I asked him.

"Nah. I can do it."

"Okay, there are pillows and blankets in the closet over there," I pointed.

"Goodnight Emma," he said, kissing me on the cheek and walking to the closet.

"Night Craig." I took a shower so I would have more time to get Danica dressed and ready in the morning. Then I walked through the living room, where Craig was already asleep on the pullout. I got in my pajamas and climbed into bed. Rolling over, I rubbed the spot where Oliver would be sleeping.

I couldn't stop it. The tears spilled over as soon as I thought about him. It happened last night. Crying myself to sleep is the only way for me now. I just need him so much.

* * *

Waking up with yet another headache, I took a few pain killers, got dressed, and went to see if Danica was awake. I got into the living room and Craig wasn't there. I shrugged it off, figuring he got an early start on his job hunting. So I went into Dani's room to get her…and she wasn't there either.

I panicked. I started breathing heavy and crying. Where is she? Then I saw the note.

_Emma,_

_I decided to take Danica to the park for an early morning walk. Hope you don't mind. We should be back by six thirty._

_Craig_

I'm gonna kill him! This is _my_ daughter that he just took out without permission. He may be her father, but he's got a lot to learn before he can watch her alone. I looked at my watch: 6:35. He's not back yet. I grabbed my jacket and jumped in the car.

Driving as fast as I could, I got to the park. There he was, sitting on a park bench, holding Dania. Her stroller was next to them. He looked so happy, but I was pissed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yelled as I stormed up to him. The smile on his face instantly disappeared. He looked confused.

"Emma, I was only taking her out for a walk. I left you a note!" he said, trying to reason with me.

"The note also said that you were going to be back by 6:30 and you weren't! Craig you can't just take her without asking me. She may be your daughter, but you've never watched her alone before. I remember how it went when you practiced with my baby brother. You had me worried sick!" I started to cry as I yelled at him.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled back. I didn't think it would be this big of a deal. She was crying, and you weren't awake yet, so I just took her," he said.

"Do it again and I'm kicking you out," I spat. I grabbed Dani from him. "And you can walk home with an empty stroller!" I yelled over my shoulder as I walked away.

_Yesterday was hell  
But today I'm fine without you  
Run away this time without you  
And all I ever thought you'd be  
That face is tearing holes in me again_

* * *

"Craig! What are you doing?" I yelled. It was already Sunday, and Craig had been living at the apartment for a week now. 

"I'm giving her a bath," he said. "I'm not allowed to do that either?"

"No. I said that I would, and that meant that I wanted to." During the week, I'd been dropping Danica off at my house where my dad watched her while I worked. He didn't mind. She usually slept while he graded papers. I didn't feel like having Jay and Craig fight over her, so I went with Dad instead. It was easier that way.

"So when exactly am I going to be able to actually take care of her?" he asked.

"When I say so!" I took over giving her a bath, and Craig stormed off into the living room.

**Craig**

"She's acting crazy!" I complained over the phone. I was talking to Marco.

"You have to give her some time Craig. It is her baby. And she's been raising her by herself for the past five months. She's used to doing things without you," he told me.

"Why'd you have to go and understand women? Don't you have something better to do? Besides, she's my baby too."

"Craig, just because you're the biological father, doesn't mean that you're her father figure. That's Oliver's job and I'm guessing it always has been. He's in a coma now and she really needs him, but she's stuck with you."

"Stuck with me? I'm trying to help her out here!" I yelled.

"Maybe you shouldn't be living with her though. She needs Oliver there, not you. Having you in the apartment probably just reminds her more and more about missing him. You should give her some space," Marco said.

"I'm already giving Manny space! She told me to bond with my daughter. Well, I do want to bond with her, but I want to be with Manny. And Emma's just making it harder for me." I heard a click. "Marco? Hello?" I looked up and realized that Emma was standing there. "Why'd you hang up on him?" I asked.

"I'm leaving for work. Why don't you go somewhere? Hang out with your friends or something?" she asked me.

"No thanks, I'm fine right here. And you can leave Danica," I said, hoping she's agree.

"Forget it," she told me, walking out the door with our daughter in hand.

**Emma**

"He is driving me crazy!" I complained to my dad. I was already late for work, but I had to vent, and I couldn't talk to Joey about it.

"Remind me why you're letting him live there?" Dad asked. "Craig's a nice guy and all, but he does have a home."

"I know he does. I just feel guilty for never telling him about her in the first place. I do want him to be able to get closer to her, but he acts like I need him to do everything for me. He doesn't even know how to take care of her!"

"Maybe you should teach him then," he pointed out.

"Maybe I don't want to! I have to get to work. Thanks for watching her. I'll pick her up around ten." I kissed Dani on the forehead and left.

* * *

The same routine went on for two more weeks. Every day, I'd get up, yell at Craig for trying to do something he shouldn't, get Danica ready, drop her off at daycare, and go to school. Then, around three, I'd pick her up from daycare, bring her by the hospital for an hour, go home, and eat dinner. 

Craig, Dani, and I all ate dinner together. Now she's able to eat all those disgusting mushy baby foods. I let Craig feed her every other night, but that's all for now. After dinner, I give her a bath; drop her off with my dad, and go to work at six.

At ten, I pick her up from my house and go home, where I always have a fight with Craig about putting her to bed. He always wakes her up when I get home. He says it's an accident, but I know he does it on purpose.

I cry myself to sleep every night. I think something's wrong with me too. I just am always in a bad mood. It's probably just because of Oliver though. Every day, I think he's gonna be better, but then he's not. And it's still my fault.

On Saturday night, I picked Dani up at the usual time. Letting myself in, I found my dad asleep at the kitchen table. I gently shook him awake.

"Emma? Hi honey. Sorry, I fell asleep. Danica was restless tonight. I think she can sense that you're upset. Anyway, let me go get her…she's up in Jack's old crib," he explained.

"Okay, I'm just gonna go talk to Sean for a few minutes and then I'll meet you back here," I told him.

Sean had been ignoring me at school since we talked, and it bothered me. I wanted him to know that I wanted to be friends with him. I saw him eating lunch with Brooklyn everyday too. I guess I was a little jealous because she could be with someone and I couldn't.

She and I haven't hung out because she's always been with Sean. I've seen them at the park together too, and I think they're getting really close. He's good with Maddox, but I know that Oliver won't be happy about that.

And then there's Manny. I've talked to her a few times in class, but she always seems busy. I think she's planning on getting back with Craig, and boy, will I be glad when that happens. If she doesn't ask him soon, I'll freak.

I quietly walked down the stairs to my old bedroom and instantly wished I hadn't.

"Oh! Wow! I can see that you're busy…umm…sorry!" I yelled, running back up the stairs. Sean. And Brooklyn. Having sex. In my old bed! Oh that's so disgusting.

I grabbed Dani from my dad, kissed him on the cheek, and bolted. After seeing that, I'd almost welcome another fight with Craig. But I still want him gone.

* * *

_Trust you is just one defense  
Off a list of others, you don't make sense  
Beg me time and time again  
__To take you back now, but you can't win  
Take back now, my life you're stealing_

"Just let me feed her!" he begged.

"Craig, you fed her last night. I said no." It was now Sunday night, and Oliver had officially been in a coma for a month. I was in a horrible mood and I didn't feel like dealing with Craig's crap.

"I said yes!" he yelled, grabbing the spoon from my hand.

"Give it back!" I yelled. He stood up and got in my face.

"No!"

"Do you realize that you're acting like a two year old?" I asked him.

"Yeah, and I'm perfectly fine with that!" he said, sticking his tongue out at me.

"Real mature Craig. Give me back the spoon," I said, holding my hand out.

"Make me," he joked. Do not tell me that he's flirting right now. He always tries to turn serious thinks into jokes. And it pisses me off.

"Fine, I will," I said, delivering him a swift kick in the balls. He groaned and fell to the ground, dropping the spoon. I smirked at him, picked it up, and rinsed it off. Then I sat down and continued feeding Dani.

"You…are such…a bitch," he said between breaths. I felt bad for him until he said that. In an instant, I was up with my foot hovering over his crotch.

"Take it back or I'll do it again," I warned.

"I'm sorry, I take it back," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I saw that!" I told him.

"So? What are you gonna do about it?" Before I could answer, or kick him or anything of the sort, I felt him grab onto my let and pull me down on top of him, right there on the kitchen floor. I could hear Danica laughing as he kissed me.

_And when the memory slips away  
There will be a better view from here  
And only lonesome you remains  
And just the thought of you I fear  
It falls away_

_Yesterday was hell  
But today I'm fine without you  
Run away this time without you  
__And all I ever thought you'd be  
That face is tearing holes in me again  
__But today I'm fine without you  
Run away this time without you  
__And all the things you put me through  
I'm holding on by letting go of you_

_Take back now, my life you're stealing_

**A/N: The song is "Straitjacket Feeling" by All American Rejects and they own it. I used it because Craig is interfering with Emma's life more than helping and now this? Lol…Okay, after Craig had been living there for a week, it was Sunday, October 7th. And now, two more weeks have passed, and this chapter ends on Sunday the 21st. An interesting turn of events, if I do say so myself. Don't get your hopes up too much. This is my favorite chapter (and also the longest) that I've written for this fic so far. Please review. Okay, sorry that I haven't updated...but I haven't been online at all. I found out last Thursday that my cousin was in a coma (which is strange because I put Oliver in a coma and whatnot) and then this Thursday, he passed away. So I might not update for awhile...just wanted to let you know. **

**WishinWell43: Craig wasn't living with Manny at all. In the last chapter, I put that Craig didn't want to go home because he didn't want Joey questioning him about everyhing...because Manny wanted to take a break. Emma's birthday party was in chapter eighteen and nineteen of Better Luck Next Time, and Oliver got shot in chapter twenty. Mark did die, but if you go back and read chapter twenty, Jay made up a story for Emma to tell the police about what happened...that Mark was shot in self defense and blah blah blah and then I was going to write something like this but never did: that those two other ppl that witnessed the thing decided not to tell about what really happened because they were a part of the club and Emma was there illegally and all that junk. Anyway, that's why Jay's not in jail. Also, the police dropped the case because Mark was scum and whatnot. I dunno, maybe I'll try to write it in somewhere. And to answer your last question, I only have up to chapter eight written. I know everything that's going to happen, but I haven't had any time to write. Wow, since this is now longer than my a/n I think that's all I'm gonna write. Hope you liked this chapter. **

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­


	8. Reception Fades

**Chapter Eight: Reception Fades**

_You talk about the way things were  
But I can't hear what you're saying  
A time when life was not this hard  
Blessed by the innocence_

**Emma**

"What the hell did you do that for?" I yelled. Seriously, how many guys are going to kiss me when the only kiss I want isn't going to happen? I'm so sick of this.

"Emma…I…" he started.

"What?" I yelled again. "You're in love with Manny; I'm in love with Oliver! End of story!" I stood up, grabbed Danica, and stormed off into her bedroom. But, of course, he followed me. Why couldn't there be a lock on her door?

"I'm sorry," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Without acknowledging him, I changed Danica's diaper, put her in her pajamas, and kissed her goodnight. I know he wanted to say goodnight to her, but I was pissed at him.

"Get out," I said. He reluctantly turned around and plopped down on the couch. I put Dani in her crib and stroked her cheek until she fell asleep. I turned the light off, shut the door, and stomped to my room.

"Emma?" he whispered through the door.

"Craig, just leave me alone!" I yelled.

_Is the best yet to come?  
Or did it pass by long ago?  
Are we holding on to a thread  
Of something already dead?_

**Craig**

"It was just a kiss Emma…it…it didn't mean anything…I just…" I trailed off. Of course it meant something. I don't just kiss people for no reason. Don't get me wrong, I love Manny and I want to be with her for the rest of my life. But I just needed to see if anything could happen between us. It's just Emma is the mother of my child. I owe it to Danica to try and make things work. Maybe they still can…

"You promise?" she asked, pulling the door open. "It didn't mean anything?"

"I promise. Emma, can we just sit down and talk?" I asked her.

"I guess." She led me to the couch, where we sat down and faced each other. "Look Craig, you're a great guy, and a really good friend. But that's all we can be. Friends. I know that it's hard because we have a daughter together, but that is all I can handle," she said.

"I just needed to see if…" I trailed off. Now I'll probably sound stupid.

"If what?" she asked.

"If there was any way that the three of us could be a family. Emma, I've always wanted a family of my own. I do have Joey, but he's only my step dad. And Angie's only my half sister. I have a daughter though, and you're her mother. So I thought we could be together with our daughter. We'd be a real family. I almost had that with Manny, but then…" I stopped mid-sentence. I can't break down in front of her. I just can't.

"I understand. But that can't happen. One day you'll have kids with Manny and you'll see that it was all worth the wait. But I think it's time that you talk to her. Tell her how you feel and that she's the only one for you. Tell her you want a family with her. And tell her that you can't live without her."

"You really think I should?" I asked her.

"Yes. And I think it's time you live back at Joey's. I need my space here. And hopefully Oliver will wake up and be able to come home soon," she said.

"I guess I should go now then," I told her.

"You don't have to rush off or anything."

"I should. I told you I only needed a few days and ended up here for three weeks. Thanks for being so great about it," I said.

"Except all I did was yell."

"I understand that this was all too stressful for you. Do you mind if I say goodnight to Danica before I leave?" I asked her.

"Of course you can," she said.

_I'm not your reason to stand up straight  
Shoulders back, chest out, and eyes raised  
Stepping back, I hesitate  
I can't let myself be taken_

**Emma**

I watched him walk into her room, being as quiet as he could. He crept up to the crib, reached down, and picked her up. She didn't wake up, but I could tell that he just wanted to hold her. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, whispered 'goodnight' and put her back in. I smiled. He really is a good father. I just can't help but wishing sometimes that Oliver is her real dad.

He closed her door behind him, then moved to the couch. I stood up and watched as he packed his clothes up. He folded the blankets and put the pillow on top of them in a neat pile at one end of the couch.

"Thanks again Emma," he said to me as he grabbed his two bags.

"Don't worry about it. If you ever need a place to stay for _a few days _then I'd be happy to help you out," I said, laughing.

He leaned forward, and I thought he was going to kiss me again. And he did, but it was just on my cheek.

"Dani's lucky to have you for a mom," he said. Then he turned around and let himself out.

As much as Craig and I fought, and as much as he pissed me off in these past three weeks, I'll still miss him.

_The reception fades the signals breaking up  
And am I moving on or am I giving up?  
If you walk away from this with anything  
Live your life today._

**A/N: Don't kill me, I know it's wicked short! I just needed this to happen because no, they are not gonna be together! Sorry…but don't worry because there will be way more drama than this. The song is "Reception Fades" by Rise Against and they own it. This chapter takes place on Sunday, October 21st.** **Okay guys, Corrine told me that chapter seven was messed up in the beginning. I fixed it now so you should go back and read it so you understand what was going on! It was fine when I put it up, so somehow it got screwed up through the site. :shrugs: but it's better now. I figured I'd put this chapter up because I just wrote Chapter Nine. That one is way more exciting than this one, I promise. Anyway, here it is.**

**JemmaFan: Thanks for your review, it was really sweet. **


	9. Dirty Little Secret

**Chapter Nine: Dirty Little Secret**

_Let me know that I've done wrong  
When I've known this all along  
I go around a time or two  
Just to waste my time with you_

**Emma**

"We have some good news for you today," the nurse said, smiling.

"Really?" I asked. Usually I had a different opinion than the doctors on what good news was.

"We took Oliver off the respirator last night and he is breathing on his own," she told me. A huge smile made it's way across my face. I hugged the lady and she just hugged me back. I guess she was just being nice and doing her job.

"Thanks," I said. I walked into the room and sat down next to Oliver, grasping his hand in mine. He almost looked a whole lot better because he had one less tube coming out of him.

"Hey Oliver, I guess you're doing better," I said. "I can't wait until you wake up and everything can go back to normal. I have to confess something that I haven't told you yet. I know that I mentioned a few weeks ago that Sean kissed me, but we talked and set everything straight. But the same thing happened over a week ago with Craig.

He was being a jerk so I kicked him in the balls. And when he was on the ground, he pulled me down and kissed me. Don't get all mad though. He was just fantasizing about us being a real family. But I set him straight, so don't worry. I explained that I'm in love with you and that I knew he was in love with Manny, and I told him that he needed to leave. So he's been gone for a week now, and I'm glad that he's not living at our apartment anymore, but at the same time, I'm a little sad because I'm just so lonely. I wish you would wake up and come home. I really miss you.

And never mind the whole love triangle thing; I'm in a friggin love pentagon! I guess Jay, Sean, and Craig all want to be with me to some degree, but all I want is you. I never thought that an ex-stripper turned car dealership girl/teenage mother could be so desirable. Well, I understand about the stripper part. But I'm sick of all this attention. I just want everything back to normal."

I looked at my watch. It was getting late, so I figured I should pick Danica up. Joey had me work all day because it was Halloween and there was no school. Dani stayed with my dad all day and she must be tired. It's already 8:00 and kids will be out trick or treating. I'm not sure if anyone will come through the apartments but I got candy just in case.

"Bye honey, I love you," I told Oliver. I squeezed his hand before standing up and kissing him softly on the lips. As I walked away, I heard a beeping sound. The beeping got louder and faster. I turned around and saw the monitor going crazy. "Something's wrong!" I yelled to no one in particular. I ran to the doorway. "HELP!"

**Jay**

"Will you two get a fucking room!" I yelled. I had just walked into my apartment, and there are Sean and Brooklyn, screwing on _my _couch. That's just disgusting. I dumped my bag of liquor on the kitchen table and sighed.

"We can't go to my place; Emma's parents are too nosy!" Sean yelled.

"Then go to a hotel or something!" I yelled right back.

"Trust me, if I had the money, I would." I heard Brooklyn giggle and then start moaning again. Great.

I grabbed the bag right back of the table, stormed into my bedroom, and slammed the door shut. I turned the stereo on and "Bound To Violence" by Hatebreed came blaring out of the speakers. I turned the music up even higher and lit a cigarette. Taking a long drag on it, I plopped down on my bed.

Okay, as much as I hated Sean and Brooklyn doing what they were doing, they had the right idea. I definitely need to get laid on Halloween. I sure as hell am not handing out candy. As soon as this cigarette is done, I'll go to a place where I know I can have a good time.

**Emma**

I can't believe it. They took him off the respirator and now he's right back on it. It was horrible, standing there and watching them work on Oliver while not being able to do anything to help. As soon as I knew he was going to be okay, I left. I picked Danica up and went home.

After I fed her and put her to bed, I got the candy ready for the trick or treaters. As soon as I set the bowl down next to the couch, the doorbell rang. I grabbed a handful of candy and opened the door.

"Oh…hey," I said. I was definitely surprised to see him.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure." I stepped aside and let Jay come in. Dropping the candy back in the bowl, I sat down on the couch. He placed a brown paper bag on the floor and sat down next to me. "What's up?" I asked, trying to make conversation. We hadn't talked in a while.

"Well, Sean and Brooklyn are on my couch…doing things…and I had to get out of there. Do you mind if I hang out here for awhile?" he asked.

"I don't care," I sighed. I tried to keep talking to him, but my mind kept wandering to Oliver.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Not really." I couldn't take it. I just burst into tears. "Oliver was taken off the respirator and then something happened, while I was right there. He stopped breathing and they had to put him right back on it. I thought things were going to get better, but they're not!" I rambled. Jay put an arm around me.

"Everything will get better, I promise," he told me. "I brought something that will at least let you have a little fun," he said. He pulled a huge bottle of vodka out of the bag. "How about I make us some drinks?" he asked.

"No thanks Jay, that stuff is disgusting," I said, shaking my head and wiping the tears off my face. "Besides, I don't need to get drunk with you. Only bad things would happen," I pointed out.

"Not if I'm getting drunk along with you. I brought some other stuff anyway." He pulled out some Bacardi Silver. "Just try it. I guarantee you'll like it. He opened the bottle with a bottle opener on his keys and handed it to me. I took it and stared at the bottle.

"Jay, I can't," I sighed.

"Trust me Emma, it'll at least make you forget about everything bad that's happening for a little while. Don't you want to have some fun?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I do, but I'm not sure this is the way to go."

"Taste it, we'll have some fun. I'm going to go make myself a Screwdriver. Got any orange juice?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's in the fridge."

_Tell me all that you've thrown away  
Find out games you don't wanna play  
You are the only one that needs to know_

**Jay**

Now this is what I'm talking about. I peered over my shoulder as I walked away. I saw Emma taste her drink. Then she took a big gulp of it. A smile crept up on my face as I walked into the kitchen.

I grabbed the orange juice out of the refrigerator. I was about to pour the vodka in my glass when I got an idea. Why should I get so drunk that I won't remember this in the morning? I poured just a little bit of vodka into the cup and added a whole lot of orange juice. It would be a very weak drink. And Emma won't know the difference. Before I went back into the living room, I poured some of the vodka down the drain so it looked like I used more than I really did.

When I sat back down on the couch, I noticed that Emma had already drunk about half of her bottle. Smiling, I took a sip of mine. It just tasted like orange juice, but I'll deal.

"Feeling better?" I asked her.

"A little, I guess," she said.

"Go ahead, have some more." She looked over at me skeptically, so I took a huge gulp of my orange juice. I winced a little to make it seem more convincing.

_When we live such fragile lives  
It's the best way we survive  
I go around a time or two  
Just to waste my time with you_

* * *

Five bottles of Bacardi and three glasses of orange juice later, Emma was wasted and I was pretending to be. This is what I call fun. I never thought that precious little Emma Nelson would get drunk, but then again, people can really surprise you. 

"You want that last bottle?" I asked her.

"No thanks!" she yelled for no reason. It was completely quiet in the room. Then the doorbell rang. "You want to get that, or should I?" she asked me.

"Just ignore it. The little kids don't need anymore candy," I told her. Then all of a sudden, she leaned over and kissed me. Hard. It felt so right. I mean, I know I shouldn't have gotten her drunk, but she is a great kisser. And I can't resist any girl. Especially not the one I love.

I was surprised that Emma wasn't puking her brains out yet. The girl really can hold her alcohol. Smiling, I pushed her down on her back and kissed her, shoving my tongue in her mouth. Her hands ran up and down my back, but then she pushed me off. I was about to protest but then she got up from the couch.

"I gotta pee!" she laughed, stumbling off to the bathroom.

"Hurry back!" I called after her. I got up and did what I knew I was going to. After throwing all the cushions off the couch, I pulled the bed out from inside. You gotta love pull-out couches. I noticed that there was already a fitted sheet on it, so I ran to the closet and got a blanket out. I threw it at the end of the bed and lay down just as Emma was getting out of the bathroom. She ran over to me and jumped on the bed next to me.

"You are so great Jay. You know just what I want," she said, jumping on top of me and kissing me. Just a few seconds later, she was reaching down and unzipping my jeans. I let her pull them off, and lay there in my boxers and t-shirt. She grabbed me through the boxers and I knew I had to have her. I rolled her over, putting myself on top, and pulled her skirt off.

As I pulled my shirt off, she took hers off too. So there we were, me in only my boxers, and her in her bra and underwear. She looked so beautiful, and I started to feel bad. I mean, I was taking advantage of her. But how can I pass this up? I love her, and she should love me back.

_The way she feels inside  
Those thoughts I can't deny  
These sleeping dogs won't lie  
And all I've tried to hide  
It's eating me apart  
Trace this line back_

I shoved Emma down and began kissing my way down her neck, her stomach, and finally to the edge of her underwear. Instead of taking it off, I kissed my way right back up. She giggled and aggressively flipped me back over, resuming the top position.

Reaching behind her, I expertly unhooked her bra with one hand and pulled it off, throwing it aside. She smiled as I cupped a breast in my hand. We started making out again, and she finally found her way to my boxers. She pulled them off as fast as she could, and I grabbed her underwear and yanked. All of the clothes were pushed onto the floor and we were completely naked. I had never felt so exposed in my entire life.

What Emma did next really surprised me. Instead of switching positions, she climbed right onto my dick, shoving me inside of her. I groaned with pleasure and she laughed as she started bouncing up and down. It was the greatest night of my life. I love Halloween.

Shortly after we finished having sex, Emma and I were making out again. Our tongues were tangled together as she lay there on top of me. My hands were traveling all over her body, and I was in heaven.

We rolled one more time, and I was on top again. I grinned at her and she smiled. That smile tempted me. I shot her a questioning glance and she nodded. Pressing my body onto hers, I slipped myself inside of her once more, and we were at it again. Pumping in and out, Emma and I moaned together as our bodies met in pure ecstasy.

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret  
(Dirty little secret)  
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret  
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)  
My dirty little secret  
Dirty little secret  
Dirty little secret  
Who has to know  
_

**A/N: This chapter takes place on Tuesday, October 31. Okay, this might sound stupid, but I don't live in Canada so I don't know if they celebrate Halloween or not. In case they don't, in this fic they do. I just wasn't sure. Oh and as for the Hatebreed song, I'm not completely positive that's the name of it, but it's on the XXX soundtrack…the movie with Vin Diesel. Anyway, I thought it might be something Jay would listen to. Anyone surprised at what just happened? Jay's a naughty boy. The song is "Dirty Little Secret" by the All American Rejects. Hope you liked the chapter. I wanted to keep things interesting. **

**TemporaryxInsanity: I'm happy to know that it was your favorite chapter because that tells me that it wasn't as horrible as I thought it was. I just thought people would be like: ok...and? Anyway, thanks for all your reviews! **

**WishinWell43: I don't think they'd be icky together, but I just have different ideas for them. I think that at a time, in the past, they would have been better together, but now (on the show) it wouldn't work out.**

**JemmaFan: Thanks! Your review was awesome. Sorry it's taken me so long to update! **


	10. Blood Red, White, and Blue

**Chapter Ten: Blood-Red, White, And Blue**

_A new problem  
__We can't stop them  
__We're outnumbered and uncautioned  
__A rally cry rings out into the night_

**Emma**

My head is pounding. It hurts so bad and I'm not sure why. I opened my eyes and realized that I was in the living room on the pull-out. How did I get here? Oh my god. I got drunk last night. So this is what a hangover feels likes. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up, and realized two things. I was not alone, and I was completely naked. I looked over at Jay who was fast asleep. I shook him hard, waking him up.

"Jay!" I said in a loud whisper.

"What is it Emma?" he asked me, sounding annoyed.

"Did we do anything last night?" I asked him. Please let him say no.

"Of course not," he said sleepily. He rolled over a little and was facing me more, but still had his eyes closed. For some reason, I didn't believe him. Maybe it was because of the pain I felt between my legs.

"Then why does it hurt so much…down there?" I asked him. His eyes popped open and he grinned.

"You're telling me that after having a baby…and everything else…sex still hurts you?" he asked. I smacked him on his chest.

"You're such an ass. Why did you lie?" I yelled.

"I forgot. I'm tired, and I have a hangover. Leave me alone," he groaned.

"Jay…did we use a condom?" I whispered, trying not to cry. How could I do that to Oliver? If he ever wakes up, he's bound to hate me.

"Probably not." He smiled at me, that little jerk. I got up, pulling the blanket with me and wrapping it around me, leaving Jay exposed. "Can you at least hand me my boxers?" he asked. I picked them up and threw them at his head. He smirked and slipped them on, sitting up all the way. "Got any aspirin?"

I walked into the kitchen and saw the bottle of vodka on the counter. At least a third of it was missing, maybe more. At least we were both drunk. I should hope that Jay would never get me drunk on purpose, but I'd never really know for sure. I heard him walk into the kitchen behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me on the neck.

"Get off of me!" I yelled, shoving him away.

"You know you liked it," he whispered in my ear, pulling me close again.

"Get out!" I yelled.

"Okay, okay. But thanks for the good time." He smirked again, grabbed the bottle of vodka, and left the room. I waited until I heard the door open and close.

I walked into my bedroom, put some clothes on, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Why did I do that? I'm such an idiot.

**Sean**

"Good morning," I said to Brooklyn. We had fallen asleep on Jay's couch after a night of great sex. She smiled and kissed me hard.

But, of course, Jay had to ruin our moment.

"You can get out now," he said.

"Fine, let's go," I said to Brooklyn.

"Actually, I was talking to her," Jay said, pointing. "I wanted to talk to you."

I glanced over at Brooklyn and she just shrugged.

"Call me later," she said, getting up and slipping her shoes on. She walked by Jay and patted him on the shoulder. "Nice seeing you too," she said, smirking. "You might want to wash your sheets before you go to sleep tonight." I laughed when I saw the look on Jay's face. As soon as she was out the door, he got mad.

"You better not have fucked on my bed, or I'll kill you," he said.

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said, laughing.

"You know what? I don't really care. You can't ruin my good mood. I had a great night last night," he said, smirking.

"So you actually got laid?" I asked. I figured I'd just humor him. I didn't really care what he did.

**Emma**

I felt a little bad for Jay. I just yelled at him and kicked him out. It wasn't really his fault. We got drunk and had sex. He supplied the alcohol, but I did choose to drink it when I didn't have to. What was I thinking?

I better go apologize to him anyway. I walked into the living room and saw the couch. Without trying to think about it, I pulled the blanket and sheet off, bunching them together and tossing them onto the floor. I pushed the bed back into the couch, and put the cushions back on it.

After that, I carefully took Danica out of her crib, trying not to wake her up. I left the apartment and walked down to the other end of the hall. I raised my hand to knock, but stopped when I heard Jay yelling. For a minute, I thought that he was fighting with someone, but he sounded happy. I pressed my ear to the door and listened.

"Of course I got laid! That was my goal!" he yelled. I rolled my eyes. Then I heard Sean talking.

"So…who was it?" he asked.

"That's not important for you…which means it's none of your business," Jay said. I smiled at that. At least he wasn't bragging to Sean about sleeping with me. "But, she was drunk," he added.

"And by 'she was drunk,' you do mean that both of you were drunk, right?" Sean asked. Of course, I thought to myself.

"Hah! Nope, I wasn't drunk," I heard him say. My heart started pounding in my chest. What?

"You got a girl drunk and then slept with her?" Sean asked, raising his voice.

"It's no big deal. Look, it would have happened whether I was drunk or not. I just wanted to be able to remember it in the morning." Please let him yell that he's kidding. He can't be serious. If he wasn't drunk, then that means that…

"You raped her!" Sean yelled.

"Dude, what are you talking about? It was completely consensual on both sides."

"Jay, if she was drunk and you weren't, then you raped her. She didn't know what she was doing. I can't believe you'd do that!" he yelled.

_What did you have to say?  
__Give me your logic  
__Your definition  
__The words you twist to justify your position  
__Of mass starvation and blind air strikes  
__Every problem is solved with a fight_

And I couldn't believe it either. Jay raped me. Here I was, about to apologize for yelling at someone who just raped me. He knew what he was doing. Tears spilled out of my eyes, and I couldn't stop them. I felt like I was going to stop breathing. I thought he cared about me more than this. He used me for his own pleasure. I leaned against the wall next to the door. I couldn't move. I thought I was going to slide down to the floor, but then the apartment door opened and closed. I didn't look, but I knew who it was.

"Emma?" Sean asked. He saw me crying and then I think he figured it out. " Oh Emma…" he whispered, reaching out to put a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't know what to do. So I turned and ran. Danica woke up and started crying. We cried together as I ran into my apartment and slammed the door. He raped me.

_So come test me  
__So come break me  
__So come on intoxicate me  
__With hands tied behind my back I fight  
__And wait for you to strike_

**A/N: I know, I know, short chapter. But Emma just needed to realize what happened. The song is "Blood-Red, White, And Blue" by Rise Against and they own it. R&R! This took place on Wednesday, November 1st. **


	11. Losing Grip

**Chapter Eleven: Losing Grip**

_How could you take advantage of my situation?  
I'm fallin' far in this world without a rope  
Or someone to hold me up  
Someone to keep my feet on the ground  
My head in this world_

**Jay**

Is Sean right? Did I really rape Emma? I never even thought of it that way. Taking advantage of, a little, but rape? I can't believe this. I have to make things right.

I walked out of my apartment and down the hall. Standing in front of Emma's door, I took a deep breath and knocked. I waited a minute or two, but there was no answer. She couldn't already be gone, could she?

I knocked again, and there was still no answer. I was about to walk away when I heard Danica crying inside the apartment. Maybe she can't hear me knocking.

"Emma!" I yelled. "It's Jay. We need to talk!"

"GO AWAY!" she yelled from inside the apartment.

She knows.

**Emma**

"I'm sorry!" he yelled from the other side of the door. Sorry? He really thought sorry would help?

"I hate you Jay!" I screamed. Danica started crying harder. I stormed into her bedroom to change her diaper. And then I heard the door open and shut. Great. I forgot to lock it. Jay slowly walked into the room. I finished changing Dani and put her down in her crib.

"Emma…"

"Get away from me Jay. I never want to see you again. And you'll never see Danica again either!" I left the room and he followed me.

"Emma I'm so sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing. I…"

"No Jay! I didn't realize what I was doing! You knew exactly what you were doing!" I screamed, my tears coming faster.

"I didn't know that I…"

"That you raped me? How could you do that to me?" I cried. "It's already happened to me once and you had to go ruin my life by doing it again! I wish I never met you. GET OUT!"

Jay stared at me blankly. He just started and didn't move. I turned away from him and put my head in my hands.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. And then he was gone.

_If I fall to the ground  
Will you pick me up again  
I don't know who I am anymore  
Or why I'm holding on  
I feel so useless everyday  
I wake up so ashamed  
I don't know who I am anymore  
I'm nothing without you_

**Brooklyn**

I'm going to kick his ass! I just got off the phone with Sean and he told me what Jay did. Now I'm on my way to set that asshole straight. I can't believe he did that to my best friend. He raped her!

I dropped Maddox off with Sean. He wanted to go with me, but I refused. When I got back to Jay's apartment, I stormed right in. He was sitting on the couch, crying. Yeah, he was crying. I never thought I'd see that happen.

"What the FUCK did you do to her?" I yelled.

"I'm sorry!" he screamed back. "I didn't mean it!"

"You can't take it back. You've probably destroyed her. And I thought you loved her!"

"I do!" he cried. I pulled my arm back and punched him in the face.

**Emma**

I have to get out of here. I grabbed my jacket, got Danica, and left. I drove over to my house and knocked on the door. Sean answered it.

"Emma, I'm so glad you're here," he said, ushering me inside.

"I'm not staying," I told him. "Are my parents here?" I asked.

"No, they're at work." I forgot that it was Wednesday. Now my dad was going to ask me why I wasn't in school.

"Why aren't you at school?" I asked him.

"I offered to watch Maddox for Brooklyn. Besides, I stayed up way too late last night and I was really tired. But that doesn't really matter. We should talk," he said.

"No, I can't. Can you please watch Danica for me?" I asked him.

"Of course."

"Where did Brooklyn go?" I asked.

"To Jay's." I didn't even want to hear his name, and I really didn't want to know why she was over there. I handed Sean the baby, tossed her bag onto the floor, and left.

_Don't you see that I have problems  
Putting all my trust in me  
I'm falling further everyday  
So you see the worst in me  
I'm losing grip, I'm losing everything  
I'm feeling so alone  
I'm losing grip, I'm losing grip_

* * *

"He raped me. I'm so sorry. I don't want you to be mad at me. I never should have gotten drunk at all, especially not with Jay. I trusted him, and Danica loves him, but that's it. I don't ever want to see him again."

Of course I didn't get a response. I never got a response. I wonder if he can really hear me. People say that when you're in a coma, you can hear everything people say to you. I hope it's true.

I climbed into bed next to Oliver and let my head fall onto his shoulder. Maybe I could just sleep for awhile. Just sleep and forget about everything. I closed my eyes and drifted off, hoping to be pulled into Oliver's dream. In his state, he had nothing, yet, at the same time, he had it all.

_The day that I was down  
I remember all your words to me  
We'd look around at everything  
Right in front of you  
And it feels so useless everyday  
I wake up so ashamed  
I don't know what you think anymore  
I'm nothing without you_

**A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Okay, this is the first time I've done this, but I couldn't pick just one song so I put two into the chapter. The very first little paragraph thing is from "One In Equal" by Seven Wiser. I only put that part of the song because it was really the only part that related. The rest of the lyrics are from "Losing Grip" by Seven Wiser. They obviously own both song. The first part is from Emma to Jay, and the second is an Emma song for Oliver. Oh and from now on, I'm going to try and use the reply to review thing on email for people that review. If it's anonymous, then I can't reply to it, and in that case, I'll try to answer questions and make comments to those people on the next chapter like I've been doing. **


	12. Sweet Suffocation

**Chapter Twelve: Sweet Suffocation**

_Crawling under  
__Lost in a perfect sin  
What's my addiction?  
__To breathe  
I will sleep and I will breathe and I will scream  
'Cause that's a part of me_

**Emma**

"Excuse me? Miss?"

I opened my eyes and looked around, blinking. I felt Oliver's body, warm and close, and smiled. Then I saw the nurse standing next to the bed.

"I'm so sorry," I said. I didn't need these people mad at me.

"It's fine, really," she said, smiling at me. "But visiting hours are over, so I'm going to have to ask you to come back tomorrow."

"Thanks for waking me up." I kissed Oliver, whispered goodbye, and then left. I didn't feel like talking to the nurse anymore.

I got back to my house and went right in. Everyone was sitting in the living room. And I mean everyone. Mom, Dad, Sean, Brooklyn, Maddox, Danica, Craig, and Manny. My mom rushed forward and hugged me.

"Emma, are you okay?" she asked, looking me in the eyes. Instead of answering, I turned to Sean.

"You told them?" I yelled at him. How could he do this to me?

"It wasn't me," he said, giving me a pitying look.

"I did," Brooklyn said, standing up.

"I don't need this right now!" I yelled at her. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?" I yelled. I ran down to my old bedroom, now Sean's room, and collapsed on the bed. Yeah, I was acting like a baby, but I felt so overwhelmed. And thankfully, no one followed me.

I stayed down there for an hour, crying into my pillow and, at times, screaming into it too. Why does this stuff always have to happen to me? I mean, seriously, why doesn't someone else get raped for once? Why do I always have to be the victim?

That's not right. My mind raced to Oliver. He's the real victim. Maybe he wasn't raped, but he was shot. And now he's in a coma, and might never wake up. At least I'm awake. He's got it way worse than I do. I slowly trudged upstairs. I hoped that maybe Craig, Manny, Brooklyn, and Sean were at least gone, but everyone was still there.

"Emma, we called the police," my dad said suddenly. "We told them to press charges."

"Did they arrest him?" I asked.

"Not yet. They're waiting to speak with you," my mom said.

"I don't want to talk to anyone tonight. I just want to go back to the apartment and sleep."

"Em, there's one more thing," Sean said. I looked at him, but he didn't say anything else.

"We think you should see a therapist," Craig blurted out.

"What? I don't need a therapist! I'm not crazy," I yelled.

"We know you're not crazy honey," my dad spoke up. "She'll really help you out." He handed me a piece of paper with a name and a phone number on it.

"We made the first appointment for tomorrow night. Joey understands and he's giving you the night off," my mom said.

"I need to get out of here," I said. I turned around, and headed for the door, but then remembered Danica. I took her from Craig's arms and picked her bag up. I walked right out of the house, put Dani in her car seat, and left. No one tried to stop me.

_Such a sweet suffocation_

**Sean**

I can't believe this is happening to her. Emma, my first love. I'm glad that I have Brooklyn in my life right now, but I can't even think of Emma being hurt like this. I still love her, as a good friend, and I can't bear to think that Jay would do that.

I would kick his ass, but I don't think I can even look at him right now. Besides, from what I've heard, Brooklyn did a pretty good job. Sighing, I picked Maddox up and held him close to me. I'm lucky to have this little guy in my life. He manages to put a smile on my face, no matter how upset I am.

"You staying?" I whispered to Brooklyn. She nodded her head. We stood up and headed for the basement. "Goodnight everyone," I said, breaking the silence. Emma's parents looked up at me sadly, but didn't say a word. Craig was staring at the floor, and Manny was looking down at her hands.

_You were the victim lost in your innocence  
What's you ambition?  
__To breathe  
And I will sleep and I will breathe and I will scream  
'Cause that's a part of me_

**Manny**

I don't understand. I thought Jay loved her. Why would he do that?

I can't believe I've been such a horrible friend to Emma. We should be closer than we are, but we're not because of me. Her best friends are Brooklyn and Craig now. I can't believe I was so mean to her. What happened between her and Craig happened when we weren't even together.

The truth is, I was really jealous of her. She had a baby with Craig when I couldn't.

But now, should I be jealous? No, I should be there for her.

**Craig**

Manny came back to me today. I should be happier. Of course I'm thankful, but with everything that's been happening to Emma, I can't be happy at all. I'm not in love with her, but I am in love with our daughter. And anything bad that happens to her affects Danica.

I find myself wanting to beat the shit out of Jay. I'm so infuriated right now. I want to make sure Emma is okay, but I can't do that. She wants to be alone, and I'll respect that. But I have to get out of this house. I stood up, grabbed my jacket along with Manny's hand, and we left.

_Such a sweet suffocation  
__It's my addiction  
Such a sweet suffocation  
__It's my religion  
__It's my religion_

**Emma**

I walked into the apartment and walked right onto an envelope. It had my name written on it, but I wasn't sure who it was from. I picked it up and tossed it onto the couch as I walked by.

I brought Danica in her room, changed her diaper, put her in her pajamas, and then put her in her crib. I watched her fall asleep and smiled. She was the only one would could bring joy to me right now. As soon as she was sleeping soundly, I left the room and closed the door behind me.

I flopped down on the couch and picked up the envelope. That's when I recognized the handwriting. It was Jay's. At first, I wasn't going to read it. It would just be some stupid attempt at apologizing and I wouldn't forgive him. But then, I just decided to read it. I had nothing else to do, and maybe he could make me feel better. Boy, was I wrong.

_Emma,_

_Don't ever forget that I love you and always will. Tell Danica that I love her, and kiss her goodnight for me. This is hard for me to write, and I know I couldn't say it all to your face. This is goodbye. _

_I know that I've done a horrible thing, and I wasn't thinking at all the other night. I hope that someday you'll be able to forgive me. But I won't hold it against you if you don't. I realize that I've probably ruined your life, and I can't live knowing that I've hurt you like this._

_You mean the world to me, and putting you through this much pain makes me hate myself. I don't deserve to be in this world with good people like you. Just remember that I love you and I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this so you don't have to live with what I've done. I hope this will help you let go and forget. _

_My love for eternity,  
__Jay _

I found myself crying at the end of the letter. Why did he write this? And what did he mean goodbye. Oh my god. What is he going to do?

I became increasingly worried with each second. When I finally stood up, it felt like everything was going in slow motion. I ran out the door and down the hall.

"JAY!" I screamed, pounding on the door. There was no answer. I can hear music playing, but nothing else. I tried the doorknob, but it was locked. "JAY!" I yelled again, pounding and pounding. What do I do now?

I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, and into the manager's apartment. I yelled and screamed to him what was happening. He looked worried, as if he just didn't want something bad to happen in his building, not caring about Jay. He got the key to the apartment and followed me up. As soon as he unlocked the door, I burst in, running straight to his bedroom.

There he was, on the floor. I remember screaming at the manager to call 911. Looking over, I saw the empty pill bottle next to him. What has he done? He can't do this to me. Doesn't he understand that this is worse than me having to live with what he did? That this is worse than him raping me?

I checked to see if he was breathing, and he wasn't. No pulse either. I started doing CPR, knowing that it never works. All I could do was try. I wouldn't fail him. No matter what he did to me, I wouldn't let him die.

_It's cold inside  
What's it like to take apart me?  
To lead you wrong  
__To kill your dreams just  
__Wake up please _

**A/N: This chapter and the last one both take place on Wednesday, November 1. The song is "Sweet Suffocation" by Edgewater and they own it. **


	13. Remember To Breathe

**Chapter Thirteen: Remember To Breathe**

_Buried deep as you can dig inside yourself  
And covered with a perfect shell  
Such a charming, beautiful exterior  
Laced with brilliant smiles and shining eyes  
Perfect posture, but you're barely scraping by  
But you're barely scraping by_

**Emma**

I didn't go to school today either. So much has happened, and I just couldn't. I only got up out of bed to feed Danica, and then I just brought her back in the bed with me. I never fell back asleep, but it felt nice to lay there and think. The only thing missing was Oliver.

I'm wondering right now if I should just go to that therapist. Maybe I do need to go. I'm pretty good at shoving my problems aside. I have to in order to be a good mother. Danica needs me.

I looked over at the clock. It was already 3:30! I lay in bed all day with Dani. I decided to put her down for a nap and take a shower. Once I was clean, I flopped down on the couch and flipped the television on.

And, of course, as soon as I started watching a show, someone knocked on the door. Sighing, I stood up and opened the door. There was Manny, with bags in her hand, crying. Here we go again.

"Emma I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have come here but I didn't know where to go. I can leave if you want to be alone," she cried.

"No Manny, of course not. Come on in," I told her. It would be a relief to talk about someone else's problems instead of my own.

"I'm back with Craig now," she sobbed, sitting down on the couch. I took her bags and set them down, then closed the door and sat down next to her.

"That's why you're crying?" I asked her.

"No." She didn't say anything else though. I stared at her, waiting for an answer, but she just cried.

"Then what is it?"

"I told my parents that Craig and I were getting married. My mom assumed that I was pregnant again and wouldn't let me explain. My dad kicked me out and Joey won't let me stay with them. I have nowhere to go Em," she cried.

"You can stay here, don't worry," I told her. "But if Oliver ever wakes up, I'll have to ask him about it," I said, hanging my head.

"Don't worry Emma, he will," she said, patting my back. Whoa, it's amazing how quickly this can go from me comforting her to her comforting me. I guess that's why I really need Manny in my life.

"Why don't we do something fun tonight," I suggested.

"Don't you have your, um, appointment?" she asked.

"I'll just reschedule it. I really don't want to talk to someone who thinks I'm crazy right now. I'll go call them now and let them know," I stood up and walked into my bedroom. I decided to call from there, instead of from the living room.

I talked to the receptionist and scheduled a new appointment for Saturday morning. When I went back into the living room, Manny was sitting on the couch, holding Danica. She looked up when she heard me come in.

"I went to see her and she was awake," she told me. "She really is beautiful. Looks like her mommy."

"Thanks." I smiled.

"So, what should we do?" I asked her.

"I was thinking that first we could go to the hospital. You know, and visit people," she suggested.

"Well, alright, but let's make it quick. It won't be very fun," I groaned.

"I know that. But you have to visit him sometime Emma. He needs you," she said.

Without answering her, I got Danica ready to leave and then the three of us made our way to the hospital. Here goes nothing.

**Craig**

I can't believe it's finally happening. Manny and I are back together, and we're getting married! I want to move the wedding up to this summer, but I don't know how that will sit with Joey. He doesn't want me to get married. He says that it's my responsibility to take care of my daughter, and she should be first in my life, not Manny.

But I am so in love with Manny that I can't even think straight. Besides, Danica has Emma to take care of her. And Oliver, if he ever wakes up. I hope for Emma's sake that he does, because she'd probably die along with him if he died.

Anyway, here I am at the jewelry store. I've saved up all my money from working at the dealership, and I have a new job now, at The Dot of course. I'm buying Manny a ring, and then I'm going to formally ask her to marry me. We talked about it, and I already asked her, but I didn't have a ring to give her then. And now, I'll finally have one.

Hopefully we'll be able to get our own apartment soon, but I'm not sure when that'll happen. I know this sounds crazy, but I want to start a family with her as soon as possible. I still wish we could have our baby from before, but I know that can't happen. So I'm going to ask Manny if she'll have my baby. (Well, my third one anyway).

**Manny**

This is so strange. I'm just watching Emma talk to Oliver. He doesn't respond, he just lies there. I don't know what I'd do if it was Craig instead. What would I say to him?

Well, Emma's telling Oliver that I've moved into their apartment. I don't know if he can really hear her, but maybe he can. Now she's putting Dani up on the bed with him. I swear I just saw him smile, but I'm probably imagining things.

This is so depressing. We have to get out of here!

**Emma**

This is it.

"I don't want to go in," I said to Manny.

"You have to. I bet Oliver would want you to talk to him," she said. I looked at her with sad eyes.

"Don't make me do this," I begged.

"I'm making you. I'll watch Danica out here. You go in," Manny told me. She took the baby from me and pushed me into the room. As soon as I was in, I turned around, only to have her close the door. Then I saw her sit down on a bench that was pushed against the wall, with Dani in her lap.

The room was dark. I didn't want to go in any further, but I guess I had to. What would I say? It was so much easier to talk to Oliver. What do you say to someone who tried to kill himself because of you?

I cleared my throat and stepped forward.

"J…" I couldn't get his name out. Why is it that I can talk to my boyfriend who isn't even awake, but I can't find the words for this?

"Jay?" There, I said it. But I go no answer. I walked towards the bed a few more steps. He was lying there with his eyes closed. I didn't know what to do. Should I stay? Or should I leave? I wasn't sure whether I should talk to him while he was asleep or wait for him to wake up.

"Jay, I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be sorry Emma." His voice startled me. He opened his eyes as I sat down.

"How could you do something like this?" I asked him. Tears stung my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he said. He reached up and wiped a tear off my face. "I didn't think I could live without you." I realized right then that Jay hadn't meant to hurt me. He made a mistake, and he didn't deserve to die for it.

"You don't have to." I replied. "I want you to get stronger because Dani needs her babysitter back." I watched as a smile grew on his face. "Her _free_ babysitter," I added, smiling. Jay started to laugh, but it turned into a fit of coughing. My smile faded. "Are you okay? Should I call the doctor?"

"No," he said, coughing one last time. "I'm fine."

"I have to go now," I said. This really scared me. I couldn't see him like this anymore. I stood up. But he grabbed onto my arm.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you stay? Just until I fall asleep?" he asked.

"Sure Jay," I told him. I sat back down and took his hand. I watched him close his eyes and waited for his breathing to get heavy. When I was sure he was asleep, I gave his hand a little squeeze and stood up. I was just about to leave when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," I said as loudly as I dared. I didn't want to wake him up.

The door opened and a police officer stepped in. Oh great.

"Are you Emma Nelson?" he asked me.

"Yes, I am," I said.

"Great, I've been hoping to talk to you. You're friend told me you were in here. I need to ask you a few questions about October 31st."

"Okay," I said, sitting back down.

"Is this the guy who raped you?" he asked me, pointing to Jay. Without hesitation, I answered him.

"No. He's just a guy who made a mistake," I said. "I want the charges dropped."

"Are you sure about this?" he asked me, looking worried.

"Of course I am. I don't know who called you, but it wasn't me. It was my mother or father or one of my friends. But I don't want to press charges. I'm positive."

"Okay Ma'am. Thank you for your time."

Without another word, I walked right out of the room. When I got into the hallway, Manny and Danica were gone. My heart started pounding and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I ran to the nurse's station.

"Have you seen my daughter?" I asked frantically. I practically yelled it.

"What does she look like?" the woman asked calmly.

"She's just a baby!" I cried. "She was with my friend Manny. Manny has long black hair. They were sitting right over there," I said, pointing to the bench that was now empty.

"I saw them a few minutes ago. She got up and left. I think she went down there," she said, pointing down the hallway to the left. I took off in that direction. Manny wouldn't do this to me, would she?

"Danica!" I yelled. "Manny!" I looked in all the rooms I passed and kept yelling their names. When I got to the end of the hall, I took another left, running around the corner. And I ran right into someone.

_This is one time, this is one time  
That you can't fake it hard enough to please everyone  
Or anyone at all...or anyone at all  
And the grave that you refuse to leave  
The refuge that you've built to flee  
The places that you've come to fear the most  
It's the place that you have come to fear the most_

**A/N: This chapter takes place on Thursday, November 2nd. The song is "The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most" by Dashboard Confessional and they own it. The title of the chapter is a title to one of their other songs. Most of you thought that Jay was dead…but now you know that he's not! I was going to originally have him die, but I changed my mind. He got to the hospital on time and they pumped his stomach. So, what do you think Manny did with Danica? And who did Emma run into? **

**This message is for everyone who has read "Pieces Of My Heart." I stated in the last chapter that I was definitely going to write a sequel to it, but I've changed my mind. I know that if I write a sequel, it won't be nearly as good, (like what happened with my Changes trilogy). I don't really have many ideas for it at all, so I'm sorry to say that I won't be writing a sequel. When I'm finished with this story, I will be writing Take Me As I Am, my Marco fic. After that, I'm possibly writing a Paige/Sean story, but I'm not sure yet. And I have a one-shot planned that has to do with the whole Rick/shooting thing. **


	14. Daddy

**Chapter Fourteen: Daddy**

_I open my eyes  
__I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light  
__I can't remember how  
__I can't remember why  
__I'm lying here tonight _

**Emma**

"Manny! Where have you been?" I yelled, pulling Danica away from her and holding her close to me. I kissed her forehead and sighed.

"Chill Em. She needed a diaper change," she told me.

"Sorry," I said. "I just get really upset when people take her without telling me."

"I know. Craig told me about the park," she said. I smiled at her. I was just relieved that my daughter was okay.

"Well, let's go have that fun night we're supposed to be having," I said.

"Okay, why don't we go eat at The Dot?" she suggested.

"Good. Let's get out of here."

**Brooklyn**

I can't believe this is happening. Not again. I don't think I can do this again. What am I going to do?

_And I can't stand the pain  
__And I can't make it go away  
__No I can't stand the pain_

**Sean**

"You okay baby?" I asked her. She looked like she was sick, or upset.

"I'm fine," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" she snapped.

"Geez Brooke. Sorry for asking," I said. Women.

Brooklyn and I were driving to the hospital to see Oliver. Well, Brooklyn wanted to talk to him, and she wanted Maddox to see him. I'm still not sure why I'm along for this ride. It's just awkward.

"Daddy!" Maddox yelled from the backseat.

"Daddy's not here Mad. We're going to see him now," I told him.

"Sean, I think he was calling you that…" Brooklyn said. She sounded worried.

"Daddy!" he yelled again.

"I'm not your Daddy," I said, looking in the rearview mirror. Of course, he doesn't understand that, does he?

"Daddy!"

"No Maddox!" I yelled back. And he started to cry.

"Great Sean, just great!" Brooklyn yelled.

"I didn't mean to make him cry. Look, as far as he's concerned, Oliver is his dad. He always has been. For one thing, I'm not going to take Maddox away from him like that. And for another, I'm definitely not ready to be a 'daddy.' Not for at least like five years or something, I don't know," I explained. I glanced over at Brooke and it looked like she was going to cry.

"Sean…"

"Don't cry baby. I love you, and I love Maddox, but I'm not ready to be a dad, that's all," I told her.

"Well you better get ready soon," she said.

"What do you mean? As much as I love you both, you really can't force me to be his father. It doesn't work like that." What is she trying to pull?

"That's not what I mean at all. You better get ready because we're having a baby," she blurted out.

"You're joking, right? Or are you planning our future here? What is this, really? Are you some psycho and I never realized it? Like fatal attraction type shit?"

"Sean, I'm not joking. I'm pregnant."

That's when I hit the car in front of me.

**Emma**

"I'm so glad that we went out tonight," I told Manny.

"Me too, I really needed it. And I know you did too," she said.

After we ate at The Dot, we went shopping and each bought a new outfit. I also bought a new dress for Dani. When we got home, I put Danica to bed, and now we were sitting on the couch, eating ice cream.

"Wanna watch a movie?" I asked her.

"Of course," she said. "Wanna skip school tomorrow?" she asked.

"Of course," I responded. We both laughed and then picked a movie. The Birdcage. We both needed some more laughs.

"It's good to have you back," I told Manny just as the movie was starting.

"It's good to have you back too," she replied, throwing an arm around me.

**Brooklyn**

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"What's wrong with you?" I yelled.

"I didn't mean to crash the fucking car! But maybe you should have told me you were pregnant when I wasn't driving!" he yelled right back.

The police were talking to the driver of the other car, and we were standing outside. I was holding Maddox, who was still crying. One of the officers came over and decided to separate us. Thank god. I probably would have kicked him in the balls if he kept yelling at me. Like it's my fault I got pregnant! He's at least half to blame.

"Okay Ma'am, let's get you to the hospital," an EMT said.

"I'm fine, I don't need to go," I told her.

"It's standard procedure. We have to make sure your baby's okay too," she said. I sighed and got into the back of the ambulance, still holding my son. Good. At least I didn't have to ride with Sean.

**Sean**

What am I supposed to do now? I'm not even out of high school and I got someone pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I do love Brooklyn, but like I said, I'm not ready to be a dad.

I love taking care of Maddox. It's fun, I have to admit. But he's not my son. But now, I'm going to have a baby. This can't be happening. I don't think I can do this.

Maybe I should go back to Wasaga. I'm guessing right about now I should have never come back here. I should have stayed in Wasaga Beach and never come back. I came back for Emma, only to realize that we couldn't be together. Then I find someone I love just as much as her, probably even more, and she's pregnant.

I live with my ex-girlfriend's parents. And I have a job that doesn't pay shit. How would I ever be a father? I don't even know how Emma did this. She's way stronger than I am though. She could do anything. But I can't.

_How could this happen to me?  
__I've made my mistakes  
__I've got nowhere to run  
__The night goes on  
__As I'm fading away  
__I'm sick of this life  
__I just wanna scream  
__How could this happen to me?_

**A/N: I definitely didn't mean for the Sean/car crash thing to be anything like what happened with JT and Liberty. I realized that's kinda what happened after I wrote it. And I didn't want to change it. This chapter takes place (still) on Thursday, November, 2nd. The Birdcage is a fricken awesomely hilarious movie and I do not own it. The song is "Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me)" by Simple Plan and they own it. Hope you liked this chapter.You guyshad good guesses for who she ran into and where Manny went...sorry to disappoint you. I just wanted to show how freaked out Emma gets if she can't find her daughter. I know I'd be exactly like that. **


	15. Everything Will Be Alright

**Chapter Fifteen: Everything Will Be Alright**

_I was out shopping for a doll  
__To say the least, I thought I've seen them all  
__But then you took me by surprise  
__I'm dreaming bout those dreamy eyes_

**Brooklyn**

It's been six months since I found out I was pregnant. I told Emma about it the very next day. And now Maddox and I are living with her. Maddox sleeps on the pullout couch with me, and whenever this new baby comes, if I'm still living here, he or she will probably sleep in Danica's room.

Three months after the big news, Maddox has his second birthday. Emma's parents threw a party for him and it was great. Everyone that I care about was there, and people gave him some much needed presents, like clothes, shoes, and educational toys.

As soon as I started showing, my mom caught on and kicked me out of the house. She couldn't bear to break it to my dad, so he doesn't even know. He thinks I just wanted to move in with Emma so I could experience independence. I wish he was here.

Guess who else bailed on me? Sean. Yep. When I was four months pregnant, I started to show (when my mom found out) and Sean left me. He said he just couldn't deal with it. Of course, he still lives at Emma's, but he won't talk to me. He says that he doesn't want anything to do with me or the baby. Tough situations like this are when people show their true sides.

I haven't found out the sex of the baby yet. I want it to be a surprise. I need to have something good to look forward to. Right now, I'm not sure if I can do this. Will I be able to raise two kids? I technically don't have a place to live and I don't have anyone to help pay for this. I work at the movie theater now. It doesn't pay a lot, but it's usually enough to get some food for me and Maddox. Emma helps out a lot too. She lets me eat at her place whenever I want, but it makes me feel bad.

**Emma**

This has proven to be quite a year. Thankfully for me, it's been getting better. Oliver's still in a coma, but he's gotten stronger. He's off the respirator, and has been for three months now. It's better than nothing.

About a month after she moved in, Manny moved out again. Somehow, Craig convinced Joey to let her move in. She has a tiny bedroom in the basement, away from Craig at night, but she loves it. She said she feels like she's part of a real family, with a real dad that doesn't judge his kids. She still hasn't spoken to her parents.

Jay is fine now. The day after I talked to him in the hospital, I told Rachel that he would be taking care of Danica again. She was a little upset, but she understands. Jay was thrilled. I guess he didn't really believe me. Now whenever I go to school or work, he watches her. I trust him to take good care of her.

Ten days ago was Danica's first birthday. I can't believe she's already one year old. I had a party here at the apartment, with everyone I knew. Then I took her to see Oliver. It was probably the best day I've had in a long time.

I am going to therapy once a week. My therapist, Sarah, is very understanding. We've mostly been talking about anything I want to talk about. She lets me bring Danica too, so I don't have to worry about who's available to watch her. Even though I know Jay would give up his night in a heartbeat.

**Sean**

Life is great right now. As soon as I broke up with Brooklyn, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. It feels good to be single again. Of course, Jay won't even talk to me. I'm not sure why he won't. It's not like he's such a noble guy. He cheated on his girlfriend with more than one girl, and gave them all STDs. Oh yeah, like he's really a role model. All I've done is break ties with someone who would bring me down eventually. I can't be a father right now. And besides, I don't even know for sure if the baby is mine.

**Manny**

"Good morning everyone!" I called as I walked into the kitchen. I absolutely loved my new home. The only setback being that Craig and I can't sleep in the same bed at night. But I won't break Joey's rule either. I'm not about to get myself kicked out of this house.

"Good morning Manny," Joey answered. I kissed him on the cheek and moved on to Angie, ruffling her hair.

"Manny, will you take me to the park today?" she asked.

"Sure Angie. I don't think I have anything else to do. Is Craig allowed too?" I asked her.

"Of course he is!" she said, laughing. She really is a cute kid.

"You know, I really appreciate you keeping Angela so busy," Joey told me.

"Oh, don't worry about it; we have a lot of fun. Besides, it's the least I can do."

"Daddy, do we have to go to church today?" Angela asked.

"Of course we do. Don't worry, as soon as it's over, you can come back here, change your clothes, and go to the park," he told her.

"Okay! I'm gonna go get my dress on." She got up from the table and ran off, probably running into Craig on the way upstairs. "Craig! We're going to the park today!" I heard her calling to him.

I love this family.

**Emma**

Today I'm going to the doctor with Brooklyn. She has another sonogram, but she's still not finding out if it's a boy or girl. I don't know how she can stand waiting so long!

I can't believe Sean. I never thought he'd be like this. Jay is showing more promise than he is. He takes her to appointments when I can't and he's taken her and Maddox out to dinner a few times.

He says that he's just being nice, but I think he's been getting a little attached to both of them. He loves kids and has a soft spot for single mothers, as I've already found out on my own experience. I think he might be falling for her. But then again, you never know.

"You ready to go yet?" I asked Brooklyn. She always took forever and managed to be late for all of these appointments.

"Yeah, in a minute!" she yelled from the bathroom.

"Mommy!" Maddox yelled.

"I'm coming baby." He always managed to get her out of the bathroom. She ran over to him and started tickling him. I smiled as I watched them play. I can't wait until Danica starts talking. I wonder what her first word will be.

"Come on honey," I said. She crawled over to me and I picked her up. I've been trying to get her to walk, but she mainly falls down. She can't really stand up for too long without help.

Craig's been spending a little time with Dani, but not that much. I've invited him over for dinner a few times, but he hasn't watched her on his own yet. I trust him; I just don't think he's ready. But even though I've invited him, he doesn't show up much on his own. I think the whole excitement of fatherhood was short lived for him.

Something that surprises me is that I don't really mind that he doesn't want to help as much. It gives me more space from him and lets me choose when he comes around. Besides, Oliver is her real father.

_I believe in you and me  
__I'm coming to find you  
__If it takes me all night  
__Wrong until you make it right  
__And I won't forget you  
__At least I'll try  
__And run, and run tonight  
__Everything will be alright_

**A/N: This chapter takes place exactly six months after the last one, on Sunday, May 2nd. I know the Manny part was random; I just wanted to show what it's like for her at Craig's house. I also know that nothing really that important happened; I just needed it to be informative. It was basically to show that Sean's being an ass and Manny moved in with Craig. And that Craig isn't always around anymore. The song is "Everything Will Be Alright" by The Killers and they own it. I used it mainly for the 'everything will be alright' part, and also for Emma still believing that things will be fine with Oliver. Tell me what you think. **

**Kuddls:I know I've only writtenSean and Brooklynhaving sex, but it was because I wanted her to be pregnant and I'm going to write more of their relationship in the future...you'll see.And I know by experience that you can definitely fall in love in under two months…been there, done that lol. **


	16. The One

**A/N: Okay, I don't like putting author's notes at the beginning of chapters anymore, but I felt like I needed to put one here to explain this chapter. One of my readers, Kuddls, mentioned in a review that I needed to develop Sean and Brooklyn's relationship more, so this chapter is going to be flashbacks. Some are for Sean and Brooklyn with how their relationship went, and the others are Emma and Oliver because I realized that I miss writing him! And since the entire chapter will be flashbacks, I'm not going to do the whole "flashback" and "end of flashback thing." I'll just separate them. You should be able to tell who's having which flashback. So here it is…hope it's still good.**

**Chapter Sixteen: The One**

You're the one I need  
The way back home is always long  
But if you're close to me  
I'm holding on  
You're the one I need  
My real life has just begun  
Cause there's nothing like  
Your smile made of sun

"_Sean, do you want to go to the movies with me tonight?" she asked me. Brooklyn? Asking me out? We haven't even spoken two words to each other since we met. Oh well, why not?_

"_Sure. But, I don't have a car…"_

"_Neither do I. Do you mind walking? It's not that far. We could meet here," she suggested. At that minute, I saw Emma walking by, on her way to her locker. And I don't know why I did it, but I put my hand on her arm._

"_That's a great idea. I'll see you there at…seven?" _

"_Yeah, seven sounds good," she replied._

"_I'll see you then." I smiled and was going to say something else, but Emma walked up, breaking my concentration._

"_Sean, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked. _

"_Sure, I'll see you later," I told Brooklyn. I kissed her on the cheek and she smiled before walking away. I was hoping to get a reaction out of Emma. That's why I kissed her._

"_What was that all about?" she asked. Yep, at least she noticed._

* * *

"_It was horrible, I'm telling you," I laughed. I was telling Oliver about my mom's wedding._

"_I definitely can't picture you with a perm," he said. We both laughed again. It was one of those nights where we were left to close the restaurant. The two of us were sitting in one side of a booth, sharing a small pizza. These were the times I looked forward to. I was still a waitress, and wasn't showing at all yet. I was probably about two months along._

"_I looked terrible."_

"_I can't picture you ever looking terrible. You're too beautiful." I could feel my cheeks blushing, and tried to think of something to say._

"_You are too." Great. I just told him he was beautiful. "I mean…" I couldn't think of anything else to say._

"_I think I get it," Oliver said, laughing. We both ended up laughing until our stomachs hurt. "This is why you're my best friend Emma. You can always make me laugh."_

_He was my best friend too. My only friend. I didn't say anything, I just smiled at him. _

* * *

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too." But do I really love her? It just came out. I think I do, but I'm not completely sure. "Brooklyn, I…"_

"_You didn't really mean it?" she asked. _

"_Yes I meant it. That's not what I was going to say." The fear in her eyes when I started that sentence…I never wanted to see it again. It felt like she was hurting and I didn't want that. So I do love her. Yeah, I do. And it feels…kind of…nice._

"_I just wasn't sure if this was too early to say it but I love you. I felt a connection between us the minute I saw you. I was afraid to say anything, because of Emma, but I just had to. You know, that day, by the lockers?" she asked._

_Yeah, I remembered that day. She came right up and asked me to go to the movies with her. I was so determined to get my mind away from Emma that I said yes. And I'm glad that I did. _

_That was only three weeks ago._

_And now I'm in love?_

_Is it possible to fall in love in three weeks?_

_Yeah, I guess it is._

_Brooklyn is an amazing mother. She had to deal with being raped and still had the baby that was the result of it. Then she came clean to Oliver about him not being the father, and she still managed to keep everything together. She's beautiful, and wouldn't even think of ever hurting anyone. And most important of all, she loves me. No one's ever loved me since Emma. And Emma doesn't love me anymore._

* * *

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too." There was no doubt in my mind. Oliver is the one for me. And he said it first! How many guys actually say it first?_

_I leaned in and kissed him. It was our first kiss and the best one I'd ever had. Imagine that…loving someone before you'd even done so much as kissed. That's true love: when you just know, before you ever touch them. _

_Oliver cupped my face in his hands as he kissed me back. It was the first time he had ever touched me, except for the time he held my hand when I went for my first sonogram._

_Is this smart for me to do? I'm seven months pregnant with someone else's baby, yet I'm falling in love with another man. I'm not in love with my baby's father; not at all. But I still feel tied to him, if only because of the fact that his child is growing inside of me. _

_So should I be kissing him right now? Every part of me wants to. Then I will. We kissed for what seemed like hours. I love him. When we finally broke away from each other, my eyes were still closed. I opened them and instantly caught the look of worry on Oliver's face. _

"_What's wrong?" I asked._

"_Emma, I…" he trailed off. I knew it wasn't going to be good. I could feel the tears welling up behind my eyes. "I can't do this." I closed my eyes, willing away the tears, and at the same time, hoping that he'd change his mind. But when I opened them, he was gone._

In a world full of strangers  
You're the one I know

**A/N: Since the flashbacks are in italics, the lyrics are normal…they're from the song "The One" by Shakira and she owns it. The first flashback is what happened in chapter six, when Emma saw him kiss her on the cheek and stuff in the hallway…but it's from Sean's POV instead of Emma's. If you don't remember, look back to it. So as you can see from the second Sean/Brooklyn flashback, he fell in love with her mainly because she loved him. He was replacing the void that Emma left with Brooklyn. And that's why, when faced with responsibility, he knew that he was never really in love with her. He loved her for the person that she was, but wasn't _in_ love. That's what I was trying to make it seem like and now hopefully I've explained it well enough.**

**Okay...I wasn't going to put this chapter up so soon but I'm doing this for the people who actually review. I'm a little annoyed that there were 106 hits on the last chapter, but only 3 people reviewed! I mean, it really doesn't take that long to review. I always review every single chapter that I read, and I would like it if people could do the same for me. I want to say thanks to the people who actually take the time to review...it's the only reason that I actually write these stories. **


	17. Ready For The Good Times

**Chapter Seventeen: Ready For The Good Times**

_I don't wanna clear the cobwebs from my head  
__Time will bring them back I bet  
__So if you hear me say that I believe in love  
__Don't make me feel ashamed  
__I used to sing the saddest songs  
__And while in the meantime roaches used to climb my door  
__Falling back down to the floor  
__I used to read survival guides  
__When my world was full of seven legged cats  
__But here I am with eight more lives_

**Emma**

Oliver's been in a coma for seven months and six days now. I never though that anything like this would happen. But there's no way I'm going to give up on him. So many people ask me how I can go to the hospital and talk to someone who can't respond? I know he can hear me. And that's all that matters. I would never abandon the guy I love more than anyone I've ever loved before (besides Danica of course).

So here I am, sitting in the hospital after school, as usual. Danica is here with me of course, and she's crawling around on Oliver's bed. Every once in awhile she'll crawl right up to him, poke him in the arm, and start laughing. She thinks he's playing a game with her.

That's when it happened. I took my eyes off of them for one minute to look out the window. And Danica said her first word.

"Dada!" she squealed, followed by laughter. It seemed like everything else that happened after that was in slow motion. I turned my head to praise her, and his eyes were open.

**Brooklyn**

I'm not sure how I feel about Jay right now. He's been really supportive. I don't know what his true intentions are, but I won't let myself fall for someone again like I did with Sean.

I think Jay's just trying to make up for his best friend's actions. Well, I should say ex-best friend. He won't talk to him anymore.

I don't know what I'm going to do when the baby's born. I'm not sure if I can handle two kids. Maddox is already a handful, and I don't even have my parents to help me anymore. I would never be able to give the baby up for adoption. I hope I can figure something out.

**Craig**

Everything in my life is perfect now. I have Manny, the girl of my dreams, and we're going to get married. I feel a little guilty about not spending so much time with Danica. I was just shocked when I first found out about her, and angry with Emma for keeping such a big secret from me. Then, when Manny broke up with me, I wanted to keep my mind off of her and focus everything on Dani. I think I was using her to keep me busy. I know that sounds horrible, but I can't help it. I'll try to spend more time with her in the future. When I'm not with Manny, that is.

**Emma**

"Oliver?" I whispered, tears in my eyes.

"Emma," he said.

He's awake.

I don't believe it!

I jumped up and threw my arms around him. He put his arm behind me and stroked my hair.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too." Tears of joy streamed down my face. I was praying for this day. And it was finally here. When we finally broke out of our hug, I kissed him hard. I missed his lips on mine, actually kissing back.

After a few more minutes, I sat on the edge of the bed and held Danica out to him.

"Dada!" she squealed for the second time as he held her close to him.

"It's her first word," I smiled. Oliver returned the smile and hugged her.

"How long have I been…" he trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

**Oliver**

"Seven months," she told me. I can't believe it. Seven months of my life gone. All because of a bullet. But then I realized that losing seven months is better than no life at all.

"I want to kill the bas…" I stopped before I said the word. I didn't want Danica picking up that kind of language.

"He's dead," she whispered.

"How?" I asked, intrigued.

"Jay shot him…" Emma looked at me, tears spilling down her face. I wiped some of them away and she told me the entire story of what happened after I blacked out.

"And how is Jay not in jail right now?" I asked her.

"Well, we both lied to the police. We used the same exact story and they had no reason to doubt us. As for the two guards, they never told the truth either. I guess because they didn't want to be tied into Mark's whole business."

"Emma…I know you're going to a therapist, but are you really okay? So much has happened to you. I can't believe that Jay would…do what he did…especially when he knew that it happened before. I'm still not sure if I want to kick his ass or not. And…" I stopped talking when I realized that she was staring at me. The look on her face confused me. "What is it?" I asked.

"You…you could hear me?" she asked. "All that time that I talked to you?"

"Yes. And I remember most of it. The coma was like…it was like one big dream. I can't really explain it, but I could always hear your voice. It was what helped me keep going, keep trying to find a way out."

"After hearing all of that, I know I'm going to be fine. I love you Oliver."

**Brooklyn**

"WHAT?" I yelled into the phone. "Are you serious? Emma, that's great! I'll be there as soon as I can." Oliver's awake. I don't believe it. I grabbed Maddox, put him in the car, and drove straight to the hospital.

When I got to his room, about three doctors and two nurses were talking to him and checking him out to make sure everything was okay. I could tell that they were surprised that he woke up.

Emma was standing against the wall, holding Danica and watching. I joined her and simply smiled. As soon as the doctors were gone, I ran up to Oliver and hugged him. Maddox jumped up on his bed.

"Daddy!" he yelled.

"Hey buddy." Oliver hugged and kissed him, then turned towards me. "I can't believe it," he said, gesturing at my stomach.

"I know, I'm an idiot," I said, sitting down and hanging my head.

"Hey, I'm gonna leave you guys alone for a little while. I'm sure you have stuff to catch up on," Emma said. She left Danica on the bed next to Maddox and walked out of the room.

"You're not an idiot," Oliver said, putting his hand under my chin and pulling my head up so I was looking at him. "People make mistakes."

"How many mistakes will I make?" I asked, tears forming behind my eyes.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You know Maddox wasn't your fault. And he's not mistake either. I can't imagine my life without him, and I know you can't either," he told me. I was really grateful for his words.

"You're right," I said.

"And you're a great mother. Maddox loves you and so does this baby," he said, putting his hand on my stomach.

"Thanks Oliver," I said. We talked for another twenty minutes, about anything and everything, until Emma came back. Oliver's parents and her parents followed her into the room.

Emma and I both said goodbye to Oliver and left the parents to talk with him. Emma had to go to work, and Jay and I were going to go out to dinner alone. Oliver wanted Maddox and Danica to stay with him, and Emma's parents were going to bring them home later.

**Emma**

I'm so happy. I know that everything's going to be okay now. I have Oliver back.

_Sitting here watching other people live  
__Frozen by the fear to fail  
__Cause, everyday there's a war to fight  
__And if I win or lose, never mind  
__As long as you're my shelter every night  
__I used to cry against a wall  
__But now I've got a shoulder that I can lean on  
__Swear to me you won't be gone  
__  
I'm ready for the good times  
__I'm ready for the good times  
__Ready to get it on  
__I'm ready for the good times  
__I'm ready for the good times  
__Now that I'm not alone_

**A/N: This chapter takes place on Monday, May 3rd. The song is "Ready For The Good Times" by Shakira and she owns it. **


	18. The Way I Always Wanted It

**Chapter Eighteen: The Way I Always Wanted It**

_And the days go by  
__Like a strand in the wind  
__In the web that is my own  
__I begin again  
__Said to my friend, baby  
__Nothin' else mattered_

**Emma**

Oliver's been awake for two months now. The hospital kept him for a week to make sure he was really okay, and then they released him. I remember the first time he stood up; he collapsed back onto the bed. I immediately started crying, thinking that he was paralyzed. But the doctors reassured me that his legs were just weak from not being used for seven months.

After about six weeks of physical therapy, Oliver could walk again. His first day of walking was my graduation. I was upset that he couldn't graduate with all of us, but he's going to finish next year. University will be lonely without him, but he assured me that I would deal, and I probably will.

I remember my graduation night like it was yesterday…

"_Congratulations Emma!" Oliver shouted. We had just gotten home from the ceremony. My mom offered to take Danica for the night so we could have a nice, quiet dinner at home._

"_I love you Oliver," I whispered, hugging him._

"_I love you too," he replied. I pulled away and looked into his eyes. Only a moment later, I found my lips on his, and began to slip my tongue into his mouth._

_I jumped into his arms and he carried me into the bedroom, lying me down and getting on top of me. _

_Clothes were thrown in a bundle on the ground as we got closer and closer. There was no baby to interrupt us this time._

_Oliver made love to me gently and passionately. It was perfect. Just the way I always wanted it. _

And now, two months later, I stood in the bathroom, clutching the home pregnancy test in my hand. Looking up at the clock, I realized it was time. I looked down at the test, and the phone rang.

_He was no more  
__Than a baby then  
__Well he  
__Seemed broken hearted  
__Something within him  
__But the moment  
__That I first laid  
__Eyes  
__On  
__Him  
__All alone  
__On the edge of  
__Seventeen_

**A/N: This chapter takes place two months later, on Sunday, July 4th. Okay, I know exactly how I'm ending this story…in one or two more chapters. However, I also came up with an alternate ending that I'm going to post if anyone doesn't like the one I chose. I know it's a really really short chapter, but this is all I wanted. No complaining lol. And will you review pleeeeeease? The song is "Edge Of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) and she owns it. It's just supposed to symbolize Emma and Oliver when they met. Hope you liked it. **

**Okay, so I'm way behind here on reviews and I'm getting a little upset about it. I'm not gonna be cruel or anything and refuse to put my chapters up until I get more and more reviews...but I'm just requesting for people to take one minute of time to review after each chapter. Thanks again to everyone who actually does. **


	19. Forever Gone, Forever You

**Chapter Nineteen: Forever Gone, Forever You**

_I wanted you to be with me  
__For so long I don't even know by now  
__But now that I've given up on you  
__Defiantly you see me_

**Brooklyn**

I knew it was happening. And I almost called Sean. But, knowing that he wouldn't even come, I put the phone back down.

_There's something very wrong about this  
__I think you knew all along somehow  
__You'll only take me to change my mind  
__Lonely, broken, and defeated_

Where was Jay? I've been on bed rest and he told me that he was going to get me some ice cream. He hasn't come back yet. What do I do? The last time this happened, Oliver was here.

Just then, there was a knock at my door. Thank God he's back.

"Come in Jay! I'm…" I trailed off when it wasn't Jay that walked in the door. It was Oliver. I pulled myself to sit up.

"Brooklyn, I have to tell you something," Oliver said, completely oblivious to the fact that I was in labor. I cringed and took a deep breath.

"What is it?" I asked. The sooner I got him to spill, the sooner I'd be able to get to the hospital.

"Sean's gone."

A pang of sadness gripped my stomach. I retched forward, but nothing came up. I didn't really expect him to be here this day.

_So far away I see the truth  
__I see through you  
__Now that I know the way you play  
__I don't want to_

"Where did he go?" I asked him, trying not to cry.

"I did something…bad. I couldn't stand what he did to you. I beat the crap out of him Brooke. I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just couldn't stop punching him…"

"Did…did you kill him?" I choked out. A look of fear crossed Oliver's face.

"No! Of course not!" he said. He was surprised that I would even think that. "I went back to Emma's parent's house to see him. I was going to make sure he was okay, but still let him know how much he made me hate him…"

"And?" I asked. Finish the damn sentence!

"And he moved back to Wasaga Beach."

"Oliver, don't feel bad. In a way, I'm glad he's gone. I knew I'd never be able to depend on him anyway. He made that clear. But we need to stop chatting."

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"Because I'm having the baby!"

Oliver's eyes opened wide and he helped me stand.

"It's a month early though!" he exclaimed.

"I'm trying not to worry about that right now…" I trailed off. I wouldn't let that stop me from seeing my baby. Oliver got Maddox up from his bed and led me to the car.

"I'll call Jay and Emma," I told him, pulling my cell phone out of my purse.

And we made our way to the hospital.

_Walking away I see the pain  
__You put me through  
__Lost in your game to change the same  
__Forever gone, forever you_

**A/N: This chapter takes place on the same day as the last one, Sunday, July 4th. The lyrics are from "Forever Gone, Forever You" by Evanescence and they own it. I know the song's out of order, but that's the way it fit best. Yes, I know, I know, another short chapter. All the rest of them will be very short as well. I miss all my reviews. I used to get at least ten every chapter. Please review so I know that this doesn't suck. **


	20. This Feeling's Worth A Million Smiles

**Chapter Twenty: This Feeling's worth a Million Smiles **

_Being faced with what I'm faced with I feel  
__Like I can't rock  
__Like a rock hit my heart  
__Started to chain the day  
__And exploded into pieces_

**Oliver**

I stood in her room, holding Danica, and pulling Emma close to me with my other arm. We smiled at Brooklyn as Jay held her hand. He was perfect for her, I could see it. He cared so much about her baby that wasn't even his. Maddox was sitting in his lap. He'll be good for her.

After a long time of talking with them in her room, the doctors told us that only one of us could stay. The baby was coming. Emma took Maddox from Jay and I wished them both luck. We went out into the waiting room. We were the only ones there. Her parents didn't show up; Sean obviously wasn't there.

Soon Emma's parents showed up and sat with us, waiting.

**Brooklyn**

The doctor told me that the baby was fully grown and there shouldn't be a problem with the delivery.

After twenty long minutes of pushing, my baby was finally here. My whole body relaxed as soon as I knew it was over. I squeezed Jay's hand as the announcement was made.

"It's a boy!" I have another son. I cried tears of joy as I watched Jay cut the umbilical cord. My son was handed to me and I stroked his soft cheek. Jay kissed me and asked me something. I was so wrapped up in the baby that I didn't even hear him.

"What?" I asked as soon as the doctors left us.

"Will you marry me?" he said as he got down on one knee, pulling a box out of his pocket.

"Yes!" I squealed. "Of course I will."

**Emma**

I can't believe that Brooklyn and Jay are getting married. I'm really happy for them. We stayed and held the baby for a little while, and left when Danica started getting tired.

On the way home, I remembered my little problem. The pregnancy test that was waiting for me.

**Oliver**

"I took a test," she told me as we walked into our apartment.

"What test?" I asked, confused. We put Danica to bed before she ever said anything else. Grasping my hand, Emma led me to the bathroom and I saw it there, sitting on the counter. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to smile.

"Will you look for me?" she asked. I nodded and picked it up, along with the directions. I studied both for a minute or so.

"Well?" she asked.

"It's negative." A sigh of relief escaped my lips, but then I realized that Emma wasn't so happy. She slid down the wall and sat on the ground, crying hysterically. "What's wrong babe?" I asked her, kneeling in front of her.

"I don't know…I'm partly relieved that I'm not pregnant. I don't think we could handle another baby right now. But then, another part of me wants to be pregnant. I want to have kids with you Oliver," she cried.

"We will have kids, someday," I reassured her.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because I want you to marry me." I pulled the ring out of my pocket. Jay beat me to it with Brooklyn, but I didn't mind. As long as she says yes.

**Emma**

"Yes, I'll marry you," I told him. All of my doubts and fears vanished right there on the spot.

Oliver pulled me up off the floor and embraced me.

I would never let go.

_Marry me  
__Stay the same  
__Lie to me and try to say you never will_

**A/N: The End! What did you think of the whole story? The song is "Pieces Mended" by The Used and they own it. I used it for the last part…the section of lyrics at the beginning are a bit confusing. Yeah, I just made up the title of this chapter off the top of my head…it seemed to fit. Now, it's not the complete end, because I'm doing an epilogue, which is the next 'chapter.' Also, if just one person asks for the alternate ending in a review, I'll post it after the epilogue. Let me know! **

**Qtpye: The baby came? Congratulations! Boy? Girl? Name? You don't have to answer my questions if you don't want to. Thanks for staying one of my loyal reviewers no matter what :D**


	21. Epilogue: Everything I've Ever Wanted

**Chapter Twenty-One: Epilogue: Everything I've Ever Wanted**

_You make me breakfast in bed  
__When I'm mixed up in my head  
__You wake me with a kiss  
__I could get used to this _

**Emma**

Brooklyn and I both got married today, on the Fourth of July, exactly a year after Oliver and Jay proposed. The only people to attend both weddings were Oliver's parents, my parents,Craig, Joey, Angela,and Manny. Maddox was the ring bearer and Danica was the flower girl. For our big present, my parents and Oliver's parents bought us a house. The weddings were on the beach, and they were perfect. Life is perfect. I have everything I've ever wanted.

**Brooklyn**

I loved my wedding. I can't believe that I just got married two hours ago. Maddox is already three years old, and my other son, Jason, is one. I named him after Jay. It was the first name that came to mind and it was perfect. Danica is two years old too! Time goes by so fast. I finally have the little family that I longed for. I have everything I've ever wanted.

**Jay**

I officially adopted Jason the day after he was born. Sean signed away his parental rights. He never even asked if he had a son or daughter. I became a little annoyed that Oliver adopted Maddox. I guess he had the right to. Maddox always knew Oliver as his father. I bought Brooklyn a condo for her wedding present. I didn't want the Simpson's or the James' help buying a house. We'll get one when we're ready. Maddox and Jason share a bedroom, but they love it. I can't believe this day has finally come. I have everything I've ever wanted.

**Oliver**

Emma and I want to fill our house up with children. There are four more empty bedrooms, so we better get started. I have joint custody of Maddox, and he has his own room as well. Craig never asked for any type of custody for Danica, but he came around. He comes by almost every day to spend time with Dani. He and Manny are getting married next year. Well, we're about to leave on our honeymoon to The Bahamas. Jay and Brooklyn are joining us as well. Emma's parents offered to take _all_ of the kids for a week. I kissed Danica goodbye before we left. The four of us boarded the plane, on our way to paradise. I have everything I've ever wanted.

_I'm feeling it comin' over me  
__With you it all comes naturally  
__Lost the reflex to resist  
__And I could get used to this_

**A/N: So this is the real end. Let me know about that alternate ending. This chapter took place on Monday, July 4th, 2006. The lyrics are from "I Could Get Used To This" by The Veronicas and they own it. Sorry if it's a bit corny with the 'everything I've ever wanted' stuff. I've really enjoyed writing this story…thanks to all my readers, and especially the ones who reviewed! **

**For the first time in a long time, I got 10 reviews right away...so here's the epilogue. Hope you liked it. The alternate ending will be up by Friday at the latest...it's finished already, it was a long time ago, but I'm gonna wait for some more reviews. Thanks for reading! **

**Niki: After this, all that's left will be the alternate ending. **

**Qtpye: Aww well congratulations. I love her name, it's so pretty...especially her middle name. **


	22. Alternate Ending: Emma

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Alternate Ending: Emma **

_Emma appeared like an angel  
__Emma fell like rain  
__Into my lap like a heart attack, like lightning from her name  
__I'm running dry of bad excuses  
__Don't want to lie or seem intrusive  
__But time hasn't told me anything, and neither has she_

"I'm here to see my wife," I told the receptionist, flowers in hand.

"Sure Mr. James," the woman said. I was joined by Brooklyn, Jay, and the kids. Danica walked freely without holding my hand. She was four years old.

"How is she?" I asked, praying for a different answer than I always got.

"The same," the woman said sadly, shaking her head.

_A poinsettia in poison rain  
__Traded true love for insult and injury  
__We washed it down the drain with one silver bullet and two vicodin  
__With two vicodin_

"Emma, you have visitors," the nurse, who had joined us outside the door, told her.

"Who is it?" she asked, as if she couldn't see us.

"Your husband, daughter, and friends."

"Oh, of course. How are you Oliver?" she asked, stepping up to me and kissing me on the lips. It was the same old kiss. But it wasn't the same old Emma.

_Emma woke up in darkness, suitcase already packed  
__Note on the bed stand signed in blood, "Sincerely, never coming back."  
__A nightmare on my street the day she arrived  
__A nightmarish household in which she died, because it made her feel at home  
__Somehow made me feel at home_

"Where's Mom and Dad? And Isaiah? Are they late?" she asked. It was the same question she asked every day.

Isaiah is…_was…_ our son. He was born exactly nine months after our honeymoon. On his first birthday, Emma's parents brought him on a trip. They were in an accident on the highway. All three of them died instantly.

Emma blamed herself. We both decided to go to therapy. I worked through it and I'm as stable as I'll ever be. Emma stopped going after one time. And now she's here.

_A poinsettia in poison rain  
__Traded true love for insult and injury  
__We washed it down the drain with one wooden stake through the heart and two vicodin_

I answered her the same way I always did. It's not that I don't want her to know the truth. She knows it; she just doesn't accept it.

"Yeah Em, they're running a little late. Don't worry, they'll be here."

I handed her the roses and she smiled, breathing deeply, inhaling their scent.

"They're beautiful," she remarked, as always.

"So are you."

_A poinsettia in poison rain  
__Traded true love for insult and injury  
__We washed it down the drain with one silver bullet and two vicodin  
__We watched the sun fall crown on a city that sleeps in a world upside down  
__A slow ticket straight out of town  
__You went out with a bang when you took with you all my dreams underground  
__With you all my dreams underground_

**A/N: There you have it: the alternate ending. The song is "Emma" by Alkaline Trio and they own it. Review and thanks for reading! So, it either ended with them getting married a year later, or it extended even farther to this. Let me know which one you liked better. And I've decided that I will be doing another story aside from my Marco one...it involves three of my favorite couples that are featured in "This Heart Beats For You."**


End file.
